It looks like more major movie studios are finally starting to embrace internet distribution—sort of. Netflix and Epix have announced a five-year agreement in which Netflix will gain exclusive online streaming rights to movies from three studios.
Unfortunately, it looks like we will still have to wait for movies to stream until long after their video release date. Netflix will not make streams available until 90 days after Epix gains the rights to show the movies, which is usually a few months after the DVD release. While there aren’t any hard numbers available, it would appear this could be as long as six months from video release.
Netflix will reportedly pay Epix $1 billion over the course of the agreement, which is set to begin on September 1.
Epix is a joint venture between Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM studios. Its services consist of a premium television channel and video on demand service. Currently only a few pay television companies including Cox,Verizon, and Dish Network carry the channel or its VOD service. Currently Epix only offers movies, but have started venturing into original programming.
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