Now that Amazon's Lovefilm has become a modernized internet video service by offering HD quality streaming to European customers, it's adding more ammo in the form of a content deal with Twentieth Century Fox. The deal kicks in right away for TV shows, with early seasons of Sons of Anarchy plus complete sets of 24, Prison Break and more becoming available starting next month. For movies, Lovefilm will have exclusive on demand access for the "second pay television window",with the first movies available under the deal coming online in March 2013, similar to its agreement with NBC Universal. Now that Netflix UK has been available for a little while, and Lovefilm has upped its resolution (and content), we're interested to know if any punters have switched sides in the streaming battle so far.
AMAZON'S LOVEFiLM SIGNS TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTENT DEAL
LONDON--June 25, 2012--LOVEFiLM, an Amazon Company, and Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution have today announced a major multi-year content deal giving LOVEFiLM members streaming access to recent and forthcoming movies and TV series.
LOVEFiLM members will have instant, exclusive on-demand access to what is known as the second pay television window of Twentieth Century Fox film content.
The film deal commences with titles theatrically released in the UK in 2011, which will be made available to subscribers to the LOVEFiLM service as early as March 2013.
The deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution will also give LOVEFiLM members access to movies and TV series from the studio's library of much-loved titles, and will add to LOVEFiLM's already extensive TV catalogue. TV titles from Twentieth Century Fox's television library, available from July 2012, will include early seasons of motorcycle drama Sons of Anarchy and all seasons of 24, Prison Break, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.
LOVEFiLM members will be able to enjoy these, and a huge range of other titles, on-demand as part of their subscription via the LOVEFiLM Instant service – available on the PC, Mac or via Sony Playstation®3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Apple iPad® and a growing number of Internet-connected TV sets and Blu-ray players.
This is the latest in a long line of content deals announced by LOVEFiLM in the past 12 months, including agreements with Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, NBC Universal, Entertainment One, STUDIOCANAL, Disney, ABC, BBC and ITV.
Amazon's LOVEFiLM will continue to rent Twentieth Century Fox titles on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-Ray 3D via its LOVEFiLM By Post service.
Jim Buckle, MD of LOVEFiLM, said: "It feels great to announce another major studio deal for LOVEFiLM. Twentieth Century Fox is one of the world's leading studios, known across the globe for creating fantastic, iconic content. This partnership will give LOVEFiLM members access to the studio's huge range of recent movies and the opportunity to revisit some of the best American TV series produced in recent years."
Gina Brogi, EVP of Worldwide Pay Television and Subscription Video on Demand for Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution added: "We are delighted to be partnered with LOVEFiLM on this new window for Fox films in the UK. This film and series agreement enables us to give UK fans yet another avenue to enjoy the great stories and characters they have come to know and love from our studio."