Announced today by the streaming video company, Netflix has snagged the exclusive rights to stream new films from companies such as Disney, Lucasfilm, Pixar and Marvel. As detailed in the Netflix Media Center, this deal will start during September 2016 and run for multiple years. Of course, Netflix subscribers will have to wait until after the release of digital versions and physical discs, like Blu-ray and Ultra HD, in order to access the content over streaming video.
While Netflix didn’t go into extensive detail on what movies and television shows will appear first, upcoming films like Pixar’s Finding Dory and Lucasfilm’s Rogue One will definitely appear on the streaming service after the theatrical run. Specifically, any film released by Disney in 2016 will be included in the Netflix deal.
That includes movies like Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War and popular Disney films such as Zootopia and The Jungle Book. Star Wars: The Force Awakens may also be included, but the film was released during 2015 and could be excluded from the deal. It’s likely that Netflix will release a calendar of Disney films being added to the service prior to September.
Interestingly, this partnership could indicate that Disney has no interest in developing a streaming service to complete with companies like Amazon, Hulu and Netflix. Hypothetically, Disney could have developed a platform like HBO GO and force consumers to subscribe to yet another streaming service, specifically to access an exclusive library of content. It’s also possible that Netflix could justify a price increase on streaming services with this exclusivity deal, perhaps after a large portion of exclusive content has been added.
Beyond the licensing deal, Netflix also announced a barrage of films that will hit the streaming service over the summer months. During June, Netflix will add the first three Jurassic Park films at the start of the month and the Academy award winning film Spotlight on June 22. During July, Netflix will be adding The Big Short, a Netflix original film Brahman Naman and older films such as Back to The Future and Lethal Weapon.