November 17, 2011
LONDON and BURBANK, Calif. - Warner Bros. has signed a
major film distribution agreement with LOVEFiLM it was
announced today by Josh Berger, President & Managing
Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain and Simon
Calver, Chief Executive, LOVEFiLM.
The multi-year, multi-layered pact offers consumers wider
choice and more access to Warner Bros. content across a
range of options. The deal spans LOVEFiLM's digital
subscription, download to own and pay per view services, as
well as Warner Bros.' branded SVOD service WarnerFilms.
An exclusive second window subscription pay TV deal will
see Warner Bros.' recent and forthcoming film releases
added to LOVEFiLM's Watch Online service through the
LOVEFiLM Player, either on the PC or accessible via Sony
PlayStation®3, Apple iPad, a growing number of web-enabled
TV sets and Blu-ray players, and later this year Microsoft
Xbox 360.
Movies available at the start of the deal in December will
include The Dark Knight, The Hangover, Gran Torino and Sex
and the City 2. And, in the coming months and years,
LOVEFiLM customers, who subscribe to streaming as part of
their package, will be able to instantly watch a regular
flow of Warner Bros.' latest movies.
Underscoring both companies' commitment to giving
customers a broad-ranging set of options to watch Warner
Bros.' content, the deal continues to make the
studio's film releases available for purchase or rent
digitally; via LOVEFiLM's market-leading DVD and
Blu-ray subscription rental service, through which DVDs and
Blu-rays will be available by post 60 days after release,
from 2012; and via Warner Bros.' branded SVOD channel,
WarnerFilms. Scheduled by Warner Bros. and offering a great
selection of recent and classic movies from Warner
Bros.' portfolio of titles, WarnerFilms provides 24
hours a day on-demand access to 28 movies at any one time
with seven new titles added every week.
Commenting on the agreement, Josh Berger, President and
Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland and Spain said,
"This significant deal with LOVEFiLM and its parent
company Amazon takes a 360 degree approach to delivering
Warner Bros.' world class movies across multiple
business lines. Now, LOVEFiLM customers will enjoy more
ways of enjoying great film content, all with the ease that
the service has become known for."
Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros.
International Television Distribution added: "The
establishment of a second pay window with LOVEFiLM is an
important evolution in the way films are made available for
viewing in the UK in ever-more convenient ways.
Importantly, the structure of the deal ensures that our
films continue to retain their value to linear and non
linear operators following this window and for the long
term."
Simon Calver, CEO of LOVEFiLM, added: "Simon Calver,
CEO of LOVEFiLM, added: "This major deal builds on our
partnership with Warner Bros. and gives LOVEFiLM members
exclusive access to world-class movies across multiple
platforms. We are committed to delivering the best
entertainment service possible - giving our members the
content they want on the platforms of their choice."