Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ coming to Starz in September

By Harrison Kaminsky Published July 18, 2016

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.

Recommended Videos

“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.”

Related: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ finds the sweet spot between new and nostalgic

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.

Topics

Harrison Kaminsky

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Harrison’s obsession in the tech space originated in his father’s electronics store in Denville, New Jersey, where he…

Entertainment

Andor creator credits The Mandalorian for paving the way for the series

The cast of Andor season 2.

Among critics and some Star Wars fans, Andor season 1 was considered the best show in the franchise to date even above its predecessor, The Mandalorian. Those voices grew even louder after The Mandalorian season 3 didn't generate the positive response that the first two seasons had. Regardless, Andor creator Tony Gilroy insists that there isn't a rivalry between the two shows. He went on to contend that without The Mandalorian, Andor wouldn't exist.

"The success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off," said Gilroy during an interview with Empire Magazine. "Their success is what would fuel the whole thing. I mean, no Baby Yoda, no Andor. Seriously. Don't think that we don't know that."

Entertainment

Asajj Ventress, Cad Bane headline Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld trailer

Bounty hunters pose for Tales of the Underworld.

First, Tales of the Jedi explored the stories of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. Then, Tales of the Empire portrayed the adventures of Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee. Now, follow Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane in Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld.

Disney+ and Lucasfilm released the trailer for Tales of the Underworld, the third installment in the Tales anthology series. This season spotlights two bounty hunters: Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane.
Ventress has been on both sides of the spectrum, having been a Jedi Padawan and an assassin for Count Dooku. Ventress always wanted to be a Sith and fought against many Jedi during the Clone Wars, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. After Dooku tried to kill her, Ventress escaped and reunited with the Nightsister clan to execute a plan for revenge. In the series, Ventress is a bounty hunter forced on the run without affiliation to the Sith or Jedi.
Bane is one of the top bounty hunters during the Clone Wars. Bane is a ruthless creature with a quick trigger who can shoot himself out of any situation. Bane must go toe-to-toe with a former friend who works as a marshal.
Someone tells Bane, "This revenge, I hope it was worth it," to which the bounty hunter replies, "It will be."

Entertainment

Star Wars veterans Daisy Ridley & Alden Ehrenreich are making a rom-com together

Daisy Ridley in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich were two of the biggest additions to the Star Wars franchise in the Lucasfilm's Disney era. Ridley played Rey across the three films of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, while Ehrenreich headlined Solo: A Star Wars Story as a young Han Solo. Ridley's Rey only met Harrison Ford's Han Solo on-screen, but now she and Ehrenreich will be sharing a lot of screentime together in a new rom-com.

As reported by Deadline, Ridley and Ehrenreich are set to star in director Donald Petrie's The Last Resort, a romantic comedy that is set in the Philippines. Petrie is best known for two of his previous rom-coms, Miss Congeniality and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. His most recent film, Little Italy -- which was also a rom-com -- featured Star Wars prequel actor Hayden Christensen in a leading role.