Lovefilm signs up Disney movies for subscription, VOD streaming in the UK
In the UK, Lovefilm has cut a deal with Walt Disney to distribute its movies online, both under its all you can eat subscription service and newer flicks on VOD. It's a nonexclusive deal so if / when Netflix launches an offering across the pond it could potentially secure similar terms. Stateside, Netflix has access to some Disney content through its deal with ABC, and other movies by way of its deal with Starz. Another interesting element would be if Lovefilm owner Amazon worked out a deal for direct access to Disney flicks for its Prime Instant Video service over here, but for now we can only recommend our UK readers check out the press release after the break.
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Apr 19, 2011 04:00 ET
LOVEFiLM Player to Stream Disney Titles for the First Time
LONDON, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LOVEFiLM and The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland have signed a Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) and Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) feature film streaming deal, which sees LOVEFiLM become Disney's first major partner in UK SVOD outside of the Pay TV window.
UK members of LOVEFiLM - Europe's largest subscription service, streaming movies and TV episodes over the internet and sending DVDs by post - will be able to rent and stream a selection of titles from The Walt Disney Company's portfolio of movies. LOVEFiLM members will be able to watch titles instantly as part of their subscription on the LOVEFiLM Player, either on the PC, via in-home connected devices or the PlayStation(R)3.
The deal will see more than fifty films from Disney's library become available to LOVEFiLM subscribers paying GBP5.99 a month or more at no extra cost, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Dead Poets Society, Armageddon, Cocktail and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Recently released Disney titles, such as TRON: Legacy, Tangled and I Am Number Four, will be available to watch instantly on LOVEFiLM's TVOD (pay-per-view) service.
LOVEFiLM already rents all available Disney DVD and Blu-ray titles via its rental-by-post service.
Simon Calver, Chief Executive of LOVEFiLM, said:
"Our customers will be excited to have even more great films alongside our existing physical and digital titles. This is a great endorsement of the popularity of LOVEFiLM, as Disney is one of the world's leading studios. We look forward to working with Disney across new products as we expand our service."
Catherine Powell, SVP/GM Media Distribution, The Walt Disney Company EMEA added:
"We're working with innovative partners such as LOVEFiLM to offer our programming to viewers in evermore flexible, easy to access ways, and this agreement builds on our existing DVD rental partnership to further extend the availability of our films amongst UK audiences."
