The multi-year agreement announced yesterday builds upon a partnership that Netflix Inc. Forged with Weinstein Co. Last year. That deal gave it the streaming rights to the Oscar-winning film, "The Artist," as well other foreign films and documentaries from the 8-year-old studio.
The new deal gives Netflix the rights to show all movies released by Weinstein Co. And its subsidiary, Dimension Films, before they appear on pay-TV channels. That makes it more competitive with channels like HBO and Showtime that have traditionally been the first place to see films after their theatrical runs.
Netflix's exclusive arrangement with Weinstein Co. Begins with films released in theaters during 2016. That's around the same time Netflix will begin showing films for the first time outside a movie theater from The Walt Disney Co., part of an agreement announced last year.
Financial terms of the latest Weinstein deal weren't disclosed.
Netflix has been spending heavily to gain exclusive content licensing rights and finance its own original programming. CEO Reed Hastings wants to attract 60 million to 90 million US subscribers to the company's USD 8-per-month service. Netflix ended June with nearly 30 million subscribers in the US and 7.75 million international customers scattered through 39 other countries.