Sky & Warner Bros. Strike Movie Deal

LONDON/BURBANK: Sky has scored the distribution of Warner Bros. movies across a range of platforms and the two are planning to work together more closely on the release and marketing of the studio’s films across the U.K. and Ireland.

The pact covers the first subscription pay-TV and pay-per-view windows. This allows Sky to air Warner Bros. titles on its Sky Movies channels and VOD services as well as on a pay-per-view basis via Sky Movies Box Office and Sky Store. Once on Sky Movies, the films will be available on the service exclusively for more than a year.

Sky Movies will be the first subscription service in the U.K. and Ireland to air such films as Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Dark Knight Rises and Dark Shadows as well as future releases, including The Hangover Part II and The Great Gatsby. Classic titles such as The Matrix franchise and The Lord of the Rings trilogy are also part of the deal.

Ian Lewis, the director of Sky Movies, said: “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Warner Bros. This new deal will give Sky Movies customers exclusive access to the full range of Warner Bros.’ films, including recent hits like The Dark Knight Rises and classic titles such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, reflecting our focus on offering the biggest choice of the best films. By making the films available on-demand and on our multiplatform service Sky Go, Sky is strengthening the customer experience, offering customers greater value and flexibility. The deal also sees us extend our reach by offering the films on NOW TV and Sky Store, giving more people new ways to enjoy our fantastic content.”
 
Josh Berger CBE, the president and managing director of Warner Bros. for the U.K., Ireland and Spain, commented: “As the U.K. television and digital landscape continues to evolve, we’re thrilled to be partnering with Sky to deliver our market-leading motion picture slate to millions of subscribers across multiple platforms. This innovative and ambitious deal presents consumers with myriad ways to enjoy our films, many of which will have been produced here in the U.K., and we look forward to working with Sky as it continues to invest in great content.”
 
Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, added: “We are pleased to extend our association with Sky in the U.K. and Ireland. In an increasingly competitive environment for high quality features, we have once again selected Sky as the best home for our films in the first pay window. Sky Movies subscribers can look forward to seeing Warner Bros.’ new films created by some of Hollywood’s most talented directors and stars on Sky’s platform in more compelling and convenient ways.”