Picture Credits: Sony Pictures
Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) have expanded their partnership into a worldwide exclusive agreement. Here is everything you need to know about the new deal and the blockbusters coming to your screen.
For the last few years, Netflix subscribers in the United States have enjoyed a steady stream of Sony hits, from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Anyone But You, thanks to a lucrative “Pay-1” window deal.
Today, Netflix and the distributor announced that this partnership is going truly global. In an industry-first move, SPE’s feature films will stream on Netflix worldwide following their theatrical and home entertainment runs.
What Does the New Deal Include?
This is a multi-year exclusive “Pay-1” licensing agreement. In simple terms, this means that after a Sony movie finishes its run in cinemas and is released for rent/purchase (VOD), Netflix will be the exclusive first streaming home for that movie globally. Typically, we’ve found that movies take roughly 100 days to drop on Netflix after their initial theatrical debut. They then stay on Netflix for 18 months.
The deal is once again for five years, running from 2027 through 2032. although there will be regions that differ when the deal kicks in depending on already established deals.
The deal isn’t just for future hits; it also includes:
- Global Pay-1 Rights: Exclusive streaming of new theatrical releases.
- Library Titles: Netflix will license rights to select SPE feature films and television series from Sony’s vast back catalog.
When Does It Start?
The rollout will be gradual. According to the announcement, the new arrangement begins later this year as rights in individual territories become available. Netflix expects full global availability to be in effect by early 2029. This expands upon the previous deal, in place since 2022, which covered the U.S., Germany, and Southeast Asia.
The Big Movies Coming to Netflix
Perhaps the most exciting part of the announcement is the slate of confirmed titles that will be hitting the service under this new deal. Sony has some massive IP in the pipeline, and Netflix subscribers worldwide will get a front-row seat.
Confirmed titles include:
- Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse: The conclusion to the Oscar-winning animated trilogy.
- The Legend of Zelda: Nintendo’s highly anticipated live-action adaptation.
- The Beatles Quartet: Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes’ audacious project consisting of four separate films about the members of the band.
- The Nightingale: The adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s global bestseller, starring sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning.
- Buds: A new feature from Sony Pictures Animation.
Lauren Smith, Vice President of Licensing and Programming Strategy at Netflix, highlighted the value this brings to international subscribers:
“Our members all over the world love movies and giving them exclusive access to Sony’s much loved films adds incredible value to their subscriptions. Sony’s impressive slate of iconic film franchises like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and originals like Anyone But You have been popular with our U.S. audience and now we’re excited to expand that offering to our members all around the world.”
Paul Littmann, EVP of Global Distribution at Sony Pictures Television, emphasized Sony’s strategy as an independent studio:
“This new Pay-1 deal takes that partnership to the next level and reinforces the enduring appeal of our theatrical releases to Netflix’s global audience. It also further underscores the strength of our independence and unique ability to create meaningful opportunities that benefit our creative stakeholders, consumers, and world-class partners.”
For years, streaming rights have been fractured by region. A movie might be on Netflix in the US, on Prime Video in the UK, and on a local service in Australia. This deal unifies the window for Sony films, making Netflix the undisputed home for Spider-Man, Jumanji, Ghostbusters, and other major Sony franchises across the globe.
This comes just as we reported today that the Universal Pictures first-window deal in the US, covering both live-action and animated titles, has gone into effect a year earlier than planned. That’s in addition to increased library pickups in the US and all around the world, with recent licensing pacts with MGM and increased pickups from Disney’s 20th Century Fox.
Are you looking forward to these Sony movies coming to Netflix over the next few years? Let us know in the comments.
