Media Biz: Disney Sets Massive Movie Deal With Sony Pictures, Bringing More Marvel to Disney Plus
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Disney and Sony Set Massive Movie Deal, Bringing ‘Spider-Man’ Films to Disney Plus
By Cynthia Littleton
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Courtesy of Sony
Disney has set a massive movie licensing pact with Sony Pictures for the U.S. that promises to bring Spider-Man and other Marvel properties to Disney Plus starting with Sony’s 2022 release slate.
The wide-ranging deal, which runs through Sony’s 2026 theatrical slate, also calls for Sony titles to run across Disney’s array of streaming and linear platforms, making it unprecedented in scope as it covers Disney Plus, Hulu, FX Networks, ABC, Disney Channels and Freeform.
It also includes a significant number of library titles that will be spread among various outlets. Hulu will gain access to what Disney described as “a significant number” of library titles starting in June.
The agreement comes on the heels of Sony’s output deal with Netflix for titles in the lucrative post-theatrical release Pay 1 window. The Disney deal covers subsequent TV windows, meaning that the titles will land on Netflix first, about nine months after the start of a film’s theatrical run. Disney is scooping up for multiple platforms the windows previously reserved for ad-supported cable and broadcast airings of movies. The Netflix and Disney deals also run for the same license term.
Like the Netflix deal, the Disney pact only covers the U.S. market, despite the global reach of the streamers. The complex agreement is likely to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Sony over the term of the deal, which runs about six years in total given the lag time for Disney getting access to the movies. With Netflix and Disney deals combined, Sony is expected to rake in about $3 billion in movie licensing over the life of the deals.
The complex deal was wrangled by Chuck Saftler, head of business operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions for Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, and Keith Le Goy, president of worldwide distribution and networks for Sony Pictures Entertainment. The deal marks another example of the entertainment industry rewiring its business models to adjust to a new era of TV exhibition and distribution.
“This landmark multi-year, platform-agnostic agreement guarantees the team at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution a tremendous amount of flexibility and breadth of programming possibilities to leverage Sony’s rich slate of award-winning action and family films across our direct-to-consumer services and linear channels,” said Chuck Saftler, head of business operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions for Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution. “This is a win for fans, who will benefit from the ability to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a multitude of viewing platforms and experiences.”
Le Goy noted that the deal was “groundbreaking” and reflected the studio’s focus on getting its movies distributed as widely as possible.
“This groundbreaking agreement reconfirms the unique and enduring value of our movies to film lovers and the platforms and networks that serve them,” said Le Goy. “We are thrilled to team up with Disney on delivering our titles to their viewers and subscribers. This agreement cements a key piece of our film distribution strategy, which is to maximize the value of each of our films, by making them available to consumers across all windows with a wide range of key partners.”
By Cynthia Littleton
Plus Icon
Courtesy of Sony
Disney has set a massive movie licensing pact with Sony Pictures for the U.S. that promises to bring Spider-Man and other Marvel properties to Disney Plus starting with Sony’s 2022 release slate.
The wide-ranging deal, which runs through Sony’s 2026 theatrical slate, also calls for Sony titles to run across Disney’s array of streaming and linear platforms, making it unprecedented in scope as it covers Disney Plus, Hulu, FX Networks, ABC, Disney Channels and Freeform.
It also includes a significant number of library titles that will be spread among various outlets. Hulu will gain access to what Disney described as “a significant number” of library titles starting in June.
The agreement comes on the heels of Sony’s output deal with Netflix for titles in the lucrative post-theatrical release Pay 1 window. The Disney deal covers subsequent TV windows, meaning that the titles will land on Netflix first, about nine months after the start of a film’s theatrical run. Disney is scooping up for multiple platforms the windows previously reserved for ad-supported cable and broadcast airings of movies. The Netflix and Disney deals also run for the same license term.
Like the Netflix deal, the Disney pact only covers the U.S. market, despite the global reach of the streamers. The complex agreement is likely to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Sony over the term of the deal, which runs about six years in total given the lag time for Disney getting access to the movies. With Netflix and Disney deals combined, Sony is expected to rake in about $3 billion in movie licensing over the life of the deals.
The complex deal was wrangled by Chuck Saftler, head of business operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions for Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, and Keith Le Goy, president of worldwide distribution and networks for Sony Pictures Entertainment. The deal marks another example of the entertainment industry rewiring its business models to adjust to a new era of TV exhibition and distribution.
“This landmark multi-year, platform-agnostic agreement guarantees the team at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution a tremendous amount of flexibility and breadth of programming possibilities to leverage Sony’s rich slate of award-winning action and family films across our direct-to-consumer services and linear channels,” said Chuck Saftler, head of business operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions for Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution. “This is a win for fans, who will benefit from the ability to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a multitude of viewing platforms and experiences.”
Le Goy noted that the deal was “groundbreaking” and reflected the studio’s focus on getting its movies distributed as widely as possible.
“This groundbreaking agreement reconfirms the unique and enduring value of our movies to film lovers and the platforms and networks that serve them,” said Le Goy. “We are thrilled to team up with Disney on delivering our titles to their viewers and subscribers. This agreement cements a key piece of our film distribution strategy, which is to maximize the value of each of our films, by making them available to consumers across all windows with a wide range of key partners.”
Disney And Sony Reach Windows Deal That Can Sling ‘Spider-Man’ To Disney+ For First Time, Along With Reach Across Hulu, ABC, FX & More
Disney and Sony have reached a deal that will make "Spider-Man" and other major franchises eligible to stream on Disney+ for the first time.
deadline.com
Disney And Sony Reach Windows Deal That Can Sling ‘Spider-Man’ To Disney+ For First Time, Along With Reach Across Hulu, ABC, FX & More
By Dade Hayes
Dade Hayes
Finance Editor
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April 21, 2021 1:31pm
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Disney and Sony have reached a multi-year deal for the post-pay-1 release window, a pact that will make Spider-Man and other major franchises eligible to stream on Disney+ for the first time.
The flagship streaming service and Hulu are among many platforms covered by the agreement, which the official announcement called “unprecedented.” A host of platforms under the Disney tent are involved, including ABC, FX, Freeform. No specific plans for Disney+ have yet been finalized, but Marvel fans had been wondering when Spidey and others would appear alongside the rest of the streaming stable. For complicated legal reasons, the franchise has not been a full-fledged member of the Disney-controlled Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Theatrical releases from 2022 to 2026 will move to Disney after their runs on Netflix, which earlier this month announced a deal with Sony for a pay-1 exclusive as well as co-production rights to direct-to-streaming films.
Financial terms were not disclosed in the release and the companies to declined to comment on any dollar figures. A person familiar with the pact estimated the total combined value of the Netflix and Disney deals at more than $3 billion.
Library rights to franchises like Spider-Man, Jumanji, Hotel Transylvania and others are part of the package.
The official announcement said the deal “gives Disney enormous programming potential across its platforms and makes them key destinations for a robust collection of Spider-Man films.” Hulu will also get a “significant number” of library titles beginning as early as June.
Linear networks joining the new deal include ABC, Disney Channels, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. FX and Sony had been in business for years and the overall Disney agreement succeeds a prior “post-pay-1” deal with FX. Universal, another key supplier to FX, recently ended its long-term relationship with FX, so the ongoing supply of Sony titles is a boost for the widely distributed pay-TV network.
“This landmark multi-year, platform agnostic agreement guarantees the team at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution a tremendous amount of flexibility and breadth of programming possibilities to leverage Sony’s rich slate of award-winning action and family films across our direct-to-consumer services and linear channels,” said Chuck Saftler, head of Business Operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks, and Acquisitions in DMED’s Networks division. Saftler, a key architect of FX’s movie slate deals, played a key role in the negotiations. “This is a win for fans, who will benefit from the ability to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a multitude of viewing platforms and experiences.”
Keith Le Goy, president of worldwide distribution and networks for Sony Pictures Entertainment, called it a “groundbreaking agreement.” It “cements a key piece of our film distribution strategy,” he added, “which is to maximize the value of each of our films, by making them available to consumers across all windows with a wide range of key partners.”
In a memo to employees, SPE motion picture group chairman Tom Rothman said the Netflix and Sony deals are “reflective of the exceptional and unique value belonging to the culturally impactful films we make and market. There is nothing like Sony Pictures’ outstanding slate freely available in the modern marketplace, and the demand for it is accordingly robust.”
Nice
great..I don't have to flip between apps anymore 
They gonna have to do waaaaaaaaaaay more than that to catch up with HBOMax.
Good start though.
Good start though.