NENT Group & Sony Pictures Television Extend Exclusive Pact

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has extended its long-term content partnership with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) in a new multiyear agreement, in addition to signing a co-development and co-production pact.

NENT Group’s Viaplay streaming service and Viasat pay-TV channels will remain the first in the Nordic region to receive the latest films and series from Sony Pictures Entertainment, along with continuing to provide an extensive range of popular library titles. A broad selection of Sony content will also be available on NENT Group’s free-TV channels across Scandinavia.

Sony blockbuster film titles that will be coming to NENT Group’s services in early 2020 include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Charlie’s Angels and Spider-Man: Far From Home, followed by the successful recent theatrical releases Jumanji: The Next Level, Little Women and Bad Boys For Life. The deal also includes new and returning SPT series such as The Blacklist, Outlander, Lincoln, The Good Doctor, S.W.A.T., Seinfeld, StartUp, The Goldbergs and LA’s Finest.

Additionally, the parties have entered into a partnership to co-develop and co-produce up to six Viaplay original scripted series. The originals to come from the partnership during the course of the multiyear deal will debut on NENT Group’s platforms in the Nordics. The first series from this collaboration will begin shooting in 2020, details of which will be announced soon.

Filippa Wallestam, NENT Group’s chief content officer, said: “Viaplay is the home of Hollywood in the Nordic region and we look forward to working even more closely with Sony Pictures Television in the years to come. We have built a true partnership that enables us to explore innovative and flexible approaches to content together. This extended agreement is broader than ever and ensures our viewers can continue to enjoy Sony’s latest and greatest films and series. We are also delighted that Sony will bring their expertise and global reach to no fewer than six Viaplay originals as we take our unique Nordic storytelling to audiences around the world.”

Mark Young, executive VP of distribution and networks for Western Europe at SPT, said: “We are incredibly pleased and excited to be extending our strategic partnership with NENT Group. Making Viaplay and Viasat the home for Sony Pictures Entertainment in the region is a fantastic way to bring our feature and television titles, both current hits as well as the power of our library, to the Nordic audience. At such a dynamic time in our industry, NENT Group has established themselves as market leaders in providing quality content production and fully-integrated broadcasting and streaming services in their region—and we are thrilled to continue our relationship.”