In just two months, Star Wars: The Force Awakens will debut for Starz subscribers. The entertainment company announced on Friday that the big screen hit will be available to stream online and on its mobile app beginning 9 p.m. on Sept. 10. Subscribers will be able to download the movie starting at 11:20 p.m. that same night.
Starz currently offers a streaming and download package for its 2,700-plus shows and movies for $9.00 per month. Star Wars: The Force Awakens joins Starz hits such as Outlander, Power, and the upcoming American Gods, based on Neil Gaiman’s popular novel.
“No greater fandom has ever existed than the Star Wars fans, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home of The Force Awakens,” Chris Albrecht, president and CEO of Starz, said in a release. “We want to make the movie as accessible as the fans’ appetites for what is truly one of the greatest franchises of all time.”
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On its cable and satellite channels, Starz will debut the movie numerous times throughout the day on Sunday, Sept. 11, including replays at 9 p.m. and 11:20 p.m.
Disney released Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the franchise’s reboot, in December last year. The film saw the anticipated reunion of original Star Wars veterans Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, along with Anthony Daniels (the only actor to have appeared in all seven Star Wars films), as well as Peter Mayhew.
Rising stars Daisy Ridley (Rey) and John Boyega (Finn) joined Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) as the next generation of galaxy guardians. J.J. Abrams directed and co-wrote the film, which earned an estimated $2.05 billion worldwide. Two sequels, Episode VIII and Episode IX, are scheduled for release in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
The Force Awakens is the last Disney film that will stream on Starz , since the two companies split ways in 2012 after Netflix snatched a $300 million per year deal. Since Netflix’s deal with Disney didn’t begin until January this year, Starz maintained the streaming rights to the Star Wars film, which was released Dec. 18.
Starz can run the Disney movies it has the rights to through 2017, after which Netflix will then take over rights. In the meantime, the demand for Star Wars should pay off for Starz as the channel finalizes a $4.4 billion merger with Lionsgate this summer.
