Lionsgate in China SVOD deal

Lionsgate has signed a long-term output deal with Chinese online video platform iQIYI on a package of Lionsgate and third-party feature films.

The deal covers subscription video on demand (SVOD) and transactional video on demand (TVOD) rights for films streaming on iQIYI’s platforms, which have more than500 million unique users.  iQIYI will have an exclusive SVOD and TVOD window for Lionsgate theatrical titles and, according to a statement from the two companies “will enable broadcasting of these titles and make a major promotional commitment on their platform for them.”

The package includes The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (pictured), Divergent Series: Allegiant, Now You See Me 2, Deepwater Horizon, Sicario, Nerve,The Shack and LaLa Land.

 “We’re thrilled to partner with iQIYI, a major game changer and one of the largest and fastest-growing digital platforms in China,” said Lionsgate executive vice president of international sales Wendy Reeds in a statement. “They will provide a quality showcase for our slate of high-profile event movies, and our agreement underscores our commitment to innovation and leadership in delivering premium content to online audiences around the world.”

Yang Xianghua, senior vice president of iQIYI, added: “In China, more and more people are paying to watch movies online. iQIYI has the largest online movie library in China and we have been actively purchasing premium movie content and building in-depth partnerships with industry players. We have enjoyed a positive long term relationship with Lionsgate and with this agreement we are delighted to extend and deepen our cooperation to areas including broadcast, promotion and distribution. We hope that this cooperation between Lionsgate and iQIYI will not only bring Chinese users an even better selection of premium movies but will also promote more innovative partnerships in China’s online video industry.”