14 DAY TRIAL // Netflix is coming to the UK early next year, the company has previously confirmed the rumors. Now it's announcing that there will even be things to watch via the service as it boasts about a licensing deal with Lionsgate UK giving it access to a large library of movies, both new and old.
"[Netflix and Lionsgate] announced a new multi-year licensing agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive subscription streaming service in the UK and Ireland for first-run feature films from the studio," the two companies announced.
The deal is important since it gives Netflix exclusive access to new content. Netflix UK will be able to stream new movie titles just one year after they're released in the movie theaters.
"Appearing exclusively on Netflix within one year of their theatrical release will be such films as 'The Hunger Games,' the highly-anticipated film based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling teen novel and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth," the companies boasted.
"'The Expendables 2,' the sequel to the blockbuster hit starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis and Jet Li and the recently-announced remake of the beloved 1987 classic 'Dirty Dancing'," they continued.
Of course, UK subscribers will get access to a plethora of titles right away, recent releases as well as back catalogue stuff, such as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Blair Witch Project.'
The fact that Netflix will encounter some real competition in the UK, in the form of Lovefilm, makes the exclusive deal even more important for the US company.
Netflix has recently made a huge expansion in South and Central America, launching in 45 countries at a time. But it got a bulk licensing deals there, making it possible to launch in all those places, it won't have it this easy in Europe.
Netflix has announced that it's launching in the UK and Ireland and there are rumors that it's coming to Spain and other places as well. Netflix is clearly eyeing more markets, the only question is whether it can secure licensing deals at a fair price everywhere.