Netflix to Gain Streaming Rights to Star Wars in September.

Netflix

Disney’s deal to exclusively stream their content through Netflix is nearly in the implementation phase. Starting in September of this year, Netflix subscribers will be able to stream more Star WarsIndiana Jones, Pixar, and Marvel Cinematic Universe films on the service than ever before.

 

From MovieWeb:

Essentially what this means is that right after movies hit the shelves on DVD and Blu Ray, they will make their way to Netflix and will never make it to other streaming services as long as the deal is in place. The movies will be available exclusively to stream on Netflix for the same period of time that they would usually be shown on standard cable TV, so though the movies will eventually find their way to more traditional outlets, it will be an even longer wait than usual. The landmark deal didn’t come cheap though, as Netflix is reportedly paying hundreds of millions of dollars per year for the rights to all of Disney’s theatrical releases from 2016 and beyond. The deal is uniting two companies in the current media landscape who are enjoying success on a level that their competitors can only look at with envy and try to duplicate as best as possible.

Good news all around. This also means that whenever Star Wars television series is inevitably made, it should fit right in with Netflix’s library of original programming and Lucasfilm movies. There is a catch, however – this deal applies to movies that are made during or after 2016 (including ZootopiaThe Jungle BookCaptain America: Civil WarFinding DoryDoctor Strange, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, among others). Due to the deal that Disney has in place with Starz regarding films released before 2016The Force Awakens will not be added to the streaming service for a while. Still, Disney’s library of movies will expand upon the service, and it’s likely that the digital releases of the Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy will be among them a little while after the new deal is established in September.

 

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Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

Grant Davis (Pomojema)

Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

63 thoughts on “Netflix to Gain Streaming Rights to Star Wars in September.

  • May 24, 2016 at 11:54 pm
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    To be clear — I believe this refers to upcoming Star Wars movies only, not the back catalogue. The Force Awakens will be on Netflix in Canadia since there was a similar deal already in place there.

    • May 25, 2016 at 12:46 am
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      That is ridiculous. Pretty neat and cool, but still, ridiculous.

      • May 25, 2016 at 1:49 am
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        Can’t even imagine the time it took to map, storyboard & illustrate that thing!

    • May 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm
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      Includes the Jabba scene but Han shoots first? Interesting.

      • May 25, 2016 at 7:50 pm
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        Boba too!

    • May 27, 2016 at 3:29 pm
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      My god….

  • May 25, 2016 at 12:28 am
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    We heard this announcement a year ago..

    • May 25, 2016 at 12:43 am
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      I thought that was the Canada deal. Official announcements anyway. This is the first official announcement regarding the new deal that starts in September. So outside of rumor or another countries/regions deal, we haven’t heard about it.

  • May 25, 2016 at 12:49 am
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    That’s great news , I enjoy the theatre experience but I can’t afford to see them all in the theatre so this is a great option , especially since I pay $7.99 a month for Netflix, and no I’m not posting on behalf of Netflix.

    • May 25, 2016 at 3:28 am
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      You can’t afford to see a movie in a theatre, but you shell out $7.99 a month for Netflix? I’m not trying to be a rude here, but that sounds a bit odd.

      • May 25, 2016 at 3:31 am
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        Well, you get access to TONS of movies. And TV. To watch as many times as you want. With as many people as you want. On multiple devices. Versus shelling out $15 per person per view for a movie, once, and nothing else.

        • May 25, 2016 at 3:35 am
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          Yeah. I know. Netflix is a great deal. It was the final nail in the cable coffin in my house. But still, if we’re talking Star Wars, a trip to the movies once a year need not be cost prohibitive. I don’t know anyone that can’t pony up $12 or $15 a year to hit the cinema. If you have $8 a month for entertainment, you can go to the movies.

          • May 25, 2016 at 3:37 am
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            I believe when he said “I can’t afford to see them all in the theatre”, he probably just meant big Disney movies. if it were really just a star Wars movie a year, he’d be able to afford it.

          • May 25, 2016 at 4:54 pm
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            Yeah, I doubt that someone who only goes to the theater once a year is all that interested in Netflix or the like anyways, so it’s all a moot argument really.
            Hell, even my cheap ass has no issue with going to the theater quite a few times a year for the bigger films…simply because the experience can’t be beat, right?

          • May 26, 2016 at 7:58 am
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            For now. As home theaters and projectors get more advanced, the theater experience becomes more easily replaceable.

          • May 26, 2016 at 8:01 am
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            Perhaps. For some though that experience cannot be replaced. The crowd, the screen, the 200-odd speakers.

      • May 25, 2016 at 5:22 am
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        I said I can’t afford to see them all in the theatre meaning I can’t afford to see every movie I want to see in the theater not just Star Wars. I enjoy a wide range of films, which at times can be a lot. $7.99 a month is a lot more attractive than $50-60 a month seeing 5 to 6 movies in the theatre.

        • May 25, 2016 at 2:10 pm
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          Ah. Gotcha. I sort of figured you were talking about only Star Wars. My bad. For me, going to the theaters isn’t the cost (which, granted, isn’t cheap), but the behavior of the other patrons. Maybe I’m already an old man or maybe it’s just how younger folks tend to act, but I just can’t enjoy a film with constant talking and fiddling with phones.

          • May 27, 2016 at 6:00 am
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            I agree. When people talk/get on their phones during a movie, I just want to grab their faces and slam them against the floor.

            Too extreme?

          • May 27, 2016 at 2:16 pm
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            Not at all. Absolutely justified.

  • May 25, 2016 at 12:58 am
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    This is great news!

    For Americans.

    Funny thing is that we here in Canada already had the MCU and a number of select Disney films. Now my question is: Does this mean that we won’t have that anymore? Is it a “one country only” exclusivity deal? I’m not seeing any evidence to confirm or deny the contrary.

    • May 25, 2016 at 1:20 am
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      I think they do deals by regions, so this shouldn’t have any effect on what Canada or those countries in other regions get or don’t get.

    • May 25, 2016 at 6:14 am
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      There are already Disney movies on Netflix in the U.S. as well. The deal will just mean a lot more movies, sooner, and exclusivity.

      • May 25, 2016 at 6:34 pm
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        I would say “Really?” but I just saw one of your other comments that said you work at Netflix so I’m gonna shut up and trust you. xD

        • May 25, 2016 at 7:53 pm
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          I believe it’s global anyway. I know for sure we always try to get global deals (especially recently) but it’s not always cost effective and is sometimes blocked by existing exclusive deals in some countries.

  • May 25, 2016 at 1:12 am
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    Disney’s gonna buy Netflix soon enough. That is my prediction.

    • May 25, 2016 at 3:27 am
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      I think your prediction will turn out to be true.

    • May 25, 2016 at 6:24 am
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      I have foreseen it…

    • May 25, 2016 at 4:54 pm
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      People were saying the same about HBO not long ago. I can’t see it myself. I hope it’s not true, Netflix’s corporate culture is anazing and Disney’s is… something else. I’ve worked at both (still at Netflix).

    • May 25, 2016 at 7:34 pm
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      It’s true, all of it.

      • May 26, 2016 at 7:55 am
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        Even the part where Greedo shot first?

        • May 26, 2016 at 5:51 pm
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          erhm uhh well uhh..

  • May 25, 2016 at 2:04 am
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    With exclusive marvel shows and now a larger streaming contract, I could easily see Disney moving to acquire Netflix. Heck, I would say the same for Hasbro, another company with a lucrative acquisition possible.

  • May 25, 2016 at 3:12 am
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    If its the original version of the Star Wars trilogy than that will gain a lot of attention! Keep your fingers crossed!

    • May 25, 2016 at 3:32 am
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      There is just one and only version of Star Wars Justin, and it is the 2011 blu-ray version and that is the same that was released recently in digital. that is the official one and only, and completely canon 🙂

      • May 25, 2016 at 3:36 am
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        He never said anything to the contrary, so you can drop that smarmy attitude. No one on this website appreciates rudeness.

        • May 25, 2016 at 4:10 am
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          That was not the intention at all, but simply sarcasm, Netflix streaming the Original version would be huge, but all other Star Wars versions are not the “officials”now… and that is something I doubt we will see in the near future…

          • May 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm
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            I don’t think we have to worry about it either way, as we aren’t getting any of the saga films (1-7) anyways per the deal. 😉

    • May 25, 2016 at 3:36 am
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      That would be a great thing for Netflix, but it’ not going to happen. If Disney were to release the original unaltered OT, they would find a way to release them as a huge $150 set with tons of special features to get every buck possible out of the fanboys.

      • May 25, 2016 at 6:09 pm
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        I’d be willing to bet that when George inked the deal, that he made sure we won’t ever see original releases.

        But, you are correct….if it were to happen, it would be a huge money making machine. They’d probably rerelease at theatrs.

        • May 25, 2016 at 7:58 pm
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          I hope he did for all the hate he received.

          • May 26, 2016 at 1:31 am
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            Never thought about that….ultimate revenge on his part. Lol. And I wouldn’t blame him.

        • May 25, 2016 at 10:42 pm
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          The problem right now is that Fox own the rights to those movies. Empire & Jedi go back to Lucasfilm in 2020 but Episode 4 is Fox’s forever. My guess is if anything happens at all it will be that Disney try to cut a deal with Fox once they have the rights to the other 2 movies back at which point we may get a “Star Wars: Legacy Edition” release.

          Until then there’s the Despecialized Editions.

    • May 25, 2016 at 4:58 am
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      2011. is the best version.

  • May 25, 2016 at 6:14 am
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    for some reason, having all 6 original star wars films available on Netflix is weird to me. i like owning them (i have multiple VHS/DVD versions of the OT and the PT and the entire blu-ray box set). i feel like watching any one of those films is a special experience and if it’s on Netflix, then i won’t be able to have that feeling anymore. anyone know what i mean? but yes.. please bring on star wars shows. i can’t wait for that!!

    • May 25, 2016 at 4:44 pm
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      It won’t be the existing movies, just Rogue One and beyond.

      I feel the same way, though. I’ll buy those movies (unless I really don’t enjoy them).

    • May 25, 2016 at 6:07 pm
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      Yeah, for some reason having them so available on Netflix is a detractor, although I don’t know why.

      I still have an original vhs copy of Star Wars before it was known as episode 4.

    • May 25, 2016 at 7:45 pm
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      Yeah I get what you mean. But technically… the original 3 Star Wars movies aren’t on Netflix. These are the altered versions.

  • May 25, 2016 at 10:02 am
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    I’d like to see the entire run of Ewoks and Droids as well as The Great Heap available since it’s the only SW related thing on TV you cannot officially own yet and I’ve not seen either since the 80’s. It’s no less embarrassing than the Freemaker Adventures, So why not?

    • May 25, 2016 at 2:40 pm
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      I was always a little old to be watching those at the time. Were those available today though I’d watch them, just to see what they were about. I thought the animation on Droids was terrible though and had terrible bendy robots. Still, I’d give it a chance.

      • May 25, 2016 at 4:04 pm
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        I remember they actually showed the Empire taking over Endor in Ewoks and there was even some PT foreshadowing in Droids with someone using what I assume was a refitted General Grievous Wheelbike,

  • May 25, 2016 at 6:09 pm
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    Disney will supplie the spaceships in the future, like Weyland Corp. or Buy n Large…

  • May 25, 2016 at 6:16 pm
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    I need videos, or trailers, or photos, or something from 8 o R1…

  • May 25, 2016 at 6:39 pm
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    …you know what, this is starting to explain why Netflix suddenly increased their subscription cost by a buck.

    • May 25, 2016 at 7:23 pm
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      Which I’m ok with…

  • May 25, 2016 at 9:41 pm
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    Hmm…I’m smelling a counterpart of the Marvel Netflix shows, am I right?

    • May 27, 2016 at 5:58 am
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      Hopefully.

  • May 25, 2016 at 10:31 pm
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    UK Netflix doesn’t have any Star Wars. Will this be changing?

    • May 25, 2016 at 10:38 pm
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      Rogue One and after, yes. This deal doesn’t apply to the back catalogue.

  • May 26, 2016 at 12:06 am
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    There was something magical about Star Wars just maybe being on TV at Christmas time. If you were really lucky you might even have a decayed and fuzzy copy on vhs copied from a friend of a friend. Then came the prestine vhs versions. Then dvd and blu-ray. We can debate the format vs nostalgia factor forever, but in my opinion this is a movie series that I want to own. It is like the vinyl version of The Beatles.

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