Lionsgate has signed a streaming rights deal with The Roku Channel which will give the studio’s feature films an exclusive run on the free, ad-supported platform after they play on Starz.
The multi-year agreement will see the studio’s 2022 theatrical releases receives two separate windows for each film. The first will provide The Roku Channel with exclusive rights to Lionsgate’s film slate immediately after the first pay theatrical window on Starz and the second will be a more flexible window at a later date.
The studio agreement includes titles such as the highly-anticipated fourth instalment in the John Wick franchise, The Expendables 4, and Borderlands, which is directed by Eli Roth and stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black. Other titles include Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Nicolas Cage’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
“This partnership with The Roku Channel shows our ability to capitalize on opportunities in today’s complex television landscape with a multifaceted, layered approach that meets everyone’s needs,” Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution Jim Packer said in a statement.
Rob Holmes, vice president of programming at Roku, added: “This innovative approach creates value for both parties, and most importantly provides the millions of streamers on The Roku Channel with the opportunity to enjoy these compelling titles via this unique window.”
