Canal+ signs new deals with US studios

French pay TV operator Canal+ has signed new distribution deals with US studios Universal and Sony that will give it access to the pair’s movies six months after their theatrical release.

The latest deals cement the pay TV operator’s relationships with Hollywood studios. Canal+ already has deals in place with Fox, Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount.

Canal+ has been able to strengthen its access to movie content in the course of this year.

The six months to June saw Canal+ Group secure a more advantageous movie window in France, entitling it to broadcast movies as early as six months after their theatrical release, compared to twelve months in 2018.

The pay TV operator emerged as the major winner from new French movie windowing rules that were introduced in January.

Canal+, which has long been one of the major support pillars of French cinema, is now able to air movies six months after their theatrical outing, followed by Netflix at 15 months – under half the time the latter previously had to wait.

While Canal+ committed to invest €200 million a year in movie creation, the concession to Netflix came after the streaming giant agreed to put additional money into French movies creation.

The group also signed a long-term partnership with ViacomCBS, entered the Austrian market by launching a streaming platform in partnership with A1 Telekom Austria, completed the acquisition of 70% of SPI International, and won, for the first time, the rights to all UEFA European soccer competitions among other things.