Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment agreed to a multi-year licensing deal that will make the streaming giant the new home for all of the studio's theatrical titles in the U.S. beginning with the 2022 film slate. Under the terms, Netflix has obtained the first pay window rights to Sony Pictures Entertainment's titles following their theatrical and home release windows.
The agreement expands upon the deal Netflix already had in place with Sony Pictures Animation to now include the entire portfolio of Sony Pictures Entertainment films. Sony had previously had a deal with Lionsgate-owned Stars dating back to 2005.
Morbius, Uncharted, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Bullet Train will be among the initial 2022 offerings. On the animation front, it also means Netflix will have the U.S. streaming rights to the highly anticipated sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It could also mean that 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which was removed from Netflix in December 2020, could also return to the streaming service as Netflix will also license rights to select titles from SPE’s existing library.
Other Sony properties that Netflix will have first dibs on include future Marvel films featuring Venom and Spider-Man, as well as new installments in the Jumanji and Bad Boys franchises.
In addition to the streaming rights for Sony's tentpole films, Netflix has also secured first look rights for any films Sony intends to make directly for streaming or decides later to license for streaming. Per the press release, Netflix has already committed to making "a number of those films" over the span of the deal, none of which will impact Sony's film slate.
The exact details of the multiyear deal were not announced, but Deadline reports that Netflix won the bid with an offer of $1 billion over four years. The streaming giant will have an 18-month exclusive window for Sony films.