Exclusive Global Rights to Spider-Man, Zelda, and More
Another Major Deal Following Warner Acquisition... Cementing an Unrivaled Lead
Just one month after announcing its "merger of the century" with Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix has made another bold move. This time, its partner is Sony Pictures Entertainment.
On January 15 (local time), Netflix announced that it had signed a multi-year exclusive streaming license agreement with Sony. The core of this deal is the acquisition of global "Pay-1" rights, which allow Netflix to be the first and only OTT platform to release Sony films after their theatrical and video-on-demand (VOD) runs. Previously, Netflix’s exclusivity was limited to certain countries such as the United States and Germany, but it has now been expanded worldwide.
The new agreement will be implemented sequentially in countries where regional licenses expire at the end of this year. As a result, by early 2029, Netflix will have exclusive rights to all new Sony releases in every country around the world.
The secured lineup is impressive. It includes major Sony intellectual properties (IP) such as the film adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s bestselling novel "The Nightingale," the live-action film based on Nintendo’s "The Legend of Zelda," the animated box office hit "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse," and Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles biopic series.
Lauren Smith, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer (CCO), expressed confidence, saying, "By providing exclusive access to Sony’s films to our global members, we have significantly increased the value of our subscription."
The two companies did not disclose specific contract terms. However, Hollywood media outlets such as Deadline and Variety estimate the deal to be worth more than 7 billion dollars (approximately 10.3 trillion won). This is the largest Pay-1 contract ever.
Industry experts say that, following last month’s 82.7 billion dollar (approximately 121.5 trillion won) acquisition of the Warner Bros. Discovery division, Netflix has built an insurmountable "content wall" by forging an alliance with Sony. Analysts note that Netflix is widening the gap with other platforms by absorbing the libraries of major studios, leveraging its overwhelming financial power.
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