EPIX Inks First Carriage Deal

NEW YORK: EPIX, the new premium movie service from Viacom, MGM and Lionsgate, has inked its first distribution agreement, securing a slot on Verizon’s FiOS TV platform.

The new channel will tap into a library of 15,000 films from its three co-owners, and will also deliver original programming and special events. EPIX will be part of FiOS’s linear and on-demand offerings, in both SD and HD. Upon launch, EPIX’s slate is set to include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Marvel’s Iron Man, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Cloverfield, MGM’s Pink Panther 2 and Lionsgate’s My Bloody Valentine 3-D, among others. EPIX will also have the rights to all 17 re-mastered James Bond movies as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. FiOS will also provide, on demand and online, access to directors’ script notes, outtakes, auditions and other extras including trivia and games. Verizon will give FiOS TV customers access to a preview of EPIX on-demand and epixhd.com in the coming weeks.

“EPIX is a unique brand that we look forward to offering our customers on multiple platforms, with exclusive programming and movie content that isn’t available anywhere else,” said Terry Denson, the VP of content strategy and acquisition for Verizon. “Once again, we’re giving our subscribers the content they want, when they want it and where they want it—whether on FiOS TV, FiOS Internet or on a Verizon Wireless mobile device—making Verizon a one-stop destination for consumers’ overall video entertainment.”

Mark Greenberg, the president of EPIX, added: “Verizon and EPIX share a common goal: entertain America anytime, anywhere, making this an ideal partnership. Both brands understand that today’s consumers want interaction and access to exclusive content—and the option of doing it all under one roof. Together, we can provide a unique experience that no other brand is delivering. EPIX will build upon Verizon’s longstanding commitment to leadership in technology and providing subscribers with the most exciting entertainment experience available.”