ITV Picks Up Package of Warner Bros. Titles

LONDON/BURBANK: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is among the titles ITV has secured in a new multi-year deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution that also includes the free-to-air rights for films such as 300 and I Am Legend.

ITV will serve as the free-to-air home for the broadcast premiere of the sixth Harry Potter film. The channel has been home to the Harry Potter franchise for the last six years, and has also produced five Harry Potter: Behind the Magic specials and a 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments show.

Also included in the deal with Warner Bros. are films such as Body of Lies, in addition to renewed licenses from the Warner Bros. library such as The Matrix trilogy, Troy, Mystic River and the two Scooby-Doo feature films.

Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, said, “Given the successful association we’ve enjoyed with Harry Potter and ITV over the last six years, it’s fitting that the free-to-air broadcast premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is on ITV. ITV has been a great supporter of the films produced by the studio over the years and this deal once again illustrates the continuing value of top quality feature films to broadcast networks.”

Angela Jain, the director of digital channels and acquisitions at ITV, added, “We’re thrilled to add Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and a host of other feature films from Warner Bros. to our film collection. It’s further evidence of our commitment to delivering arguably some of the best Hollywood movies to our viewers.”