Netflix Secures Major Sony Pictures Deal Including Zelda and Beatles Films in Landmark Streaming Agreement In a major move that reshapes the streaming landscape, Netflix has significantly expanded its partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment. Under a new multi-year global agreement, Netflix will become the primary streaming home for Sony’s theatrical releases, securing what is known as the Pay-1 window. This means that after a film completes its run in theaters and on video-on-demand platforms, its first streaming destination will be Netflix, worldwide. The deal builds upon an existing exclusive arrangement Netflix had with Sony in the United States, now extending it globally. It grants Netflix the streaming rights to a high-profile slate of upcoming Sony films. This includes the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda from Nintendo and a series of four biopics about The Beatles directed by Sam Mendes. Beyond these future blockbusters, the agreement also provides Netflix with licensing rights to an undisclosed number of titles from Sony’s extensive back catalog of films and television series. This will bolster Netflix’s content library with proven hits. The transition to this new arrangement will be gradual throughout the year as previous licensing commitments expire, with full implementation expected by 2029. While the exact duration of the contract was not disclosed, it is described as multi-year. Industry reports from Variety indicate the financial scale of the deal, with Netflix set to pay Sony more than 7 billion dollars for these rights. This substantial investment underscores the value Netflix places on securing a steady pipeline of major studio films. The partnership between Netflix and Sony has already proven successful. Sony films such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Uncharted, and the romantic comedy Anyone But You have found massive renewed audiences on Netflix after their theatrical runs. In a notable reverse pattern, the Sony Animation film KPop Demon Hunters first became a viral sensation on Netflix, which then fueled a subsequent profitable theatrical release. This Sony pact is part of Netflix’s broader strategy to lock in exclusive streaming rights to major studio content. The company has a similar Pay-1 deal with Universal Pictures, which brought the animated hit The Super Mario Bros. Movie to the service. However, Netflix’s ambitions appear to extend far beyond licensing. The streaming giant is currently pursuing an even more transformative acquisition: the purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery for a reported 82.7 billion dollars. That potential mega-deal is facing legal challenges. Paramount Global, which had submitted a competing bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, has filed a lawsuit alleging that Warner’s board improperly ignored its offer in favor of negotiations with Netflix. This legal battle highlights the intense consolidation and competition within the entertainment industry as companies vie for scale and content supremacy. The expanded Sony deal solidifies Netflix’s position as the premier destination for major studio films shortly after they leave theaters, giving it a key advantage in the ongoing streaming wars. By securing global rights to franchises like Zelda and event films about The Beatles, Netflix ensures it will have must-watch cultural tentpoles for years to come.
