SFR to launch new movies and series service

Altice-owned French service provider SFR is planning to launch a new premium service dedicated to movies and series aimed at a family audience.

Altice CEO Michel Combes told Le Figaro that his group planned to ramp up its activity in movies and series with the launch of SFR Studio, a new channel dedicated to both, this summer.

Combes said that SFR would make about 400 films and series available on the channel each year, including two new series each month.

He said that the channel would round out the SFR Play SVOD offering, adding to a catalogue of about 10,000 titles, of which about 40% are French.

Combes said that the group would unveil, over the coming weeks, plans to develop French and European originals, and said that Altice was also in talks to establish partnerships with Hollywood majors.

SFR’s ramping up of its activity in movies and series follows the creation last year of Altice Studio, the parent group’s production arm, which has co-produced and co-financed series including Medici, Riviera and Taken.

Separately, SFR has extended the availability of its SFR Sport bouquet on OTT TV via the Android TV platform. The SFR Sport app will enable sports fans to view the channel of the offering on the platform from today, priced at €9.99.

SFR Sport has previously been available via TV boxes, Chromecast, Apple Airplay and the web. The Android version will be available on devices including the Nvidia Shield TV.

The launch comes after SFR increased its commitment to sport through a high-stakes purchase of exclusive rights to Champions League and Europa League football.