Sky and Sony Pictures Television have confirmed the continuation of their multi-year partnership, promising a trove of content for Sky’s Cinema and Entertainment customers (including via Sky’s streaming service, NOW) across the UK and Ireland.
The fact that Sony does not have its own streaming service works to its advantage, allowing it to freely partner with other providers like Sky.
But since some of the titles that are part of this deal won’t necessarily be exclusive – viewers may eventually be able to watch some of them on additional platforms – not just Sky.
The renewed partnership, which was announced today, will ensure the delivery of major Sony Pictures Entertainment feature films and hit television series to Sky Cinema and Sky Entertainment.
The lineup includes highly anticipated films such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Gran Turismo, Equalizer 3, the next instalment of the Ghostbusters franchise, and future films from the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters.
This comprehensive deal also covers recent hits like the widely acclaimed Whitney Houston biopic Whitney: I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Tom Hanks’ heartwarming film A Man Called Otto (which is currently available on Netflix in other countries – but not in the UK).
Moreover, Sky Cinema customers can look forward to an extensive selection of popular films from Sony’s catalogue, featuring favourites from the Spider-Man, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, Men In Black, Bad Boys, and Karate Kid franchises.
Sky and NOW subscribers will also be able to access future seasons of popular series such as The Good Doctor and S.W.A.T.
With Sky losing more and more content to the production companies’ own streaming services (such as Paramount+ and Disney+), and with the possible launch of HBO Max (now known simply as Max) in the UK in 2025, Sky needs any content deal it can get.
Sony Pictures’ film and television content continues to be a huge hit among Sky’s audience. Notably, Spider-Man: No Way Home has been viewed over 3 million times in less than a year (although Spider-Man is a Marvel property, its right lie with Sony, which is why the film ended up on Sky Cinema and not Disney+).
The extension of this partnership ensures customer access to over 600 hours of premier Sony Pictures content, indicative of the enduring popularity of Sony’s productions.
The multi-year extension also benefits Sky Store customers, allowing them to buy or rent popular films and TV series from the Sony Pictures library.
Furthermore, the agreement includes live and on-demand content for Sky’s standalone streaming service, NOW.
Stephen van Rooyen, CEO of UK & Europe, Sky, expressed his enthusiasm for the renewed partnership, stating, “Our customers love Sony’s film and television content, and with this extension, they will keep enjoying it for years to come.
“Content is king, and the strength of our partnerships with the very best gives our customers access to 100,000 hours of world-class content that can be streamed straight to their TV over Wi-Fi, and watched in the way they want.”
Echoing the sentiment, Mark Young, Executive Vice President, Networks & Distribution, EMEA, Sony Pictures Television, said, “Sky are fantastic partners, and this deal extension means their audiences in the UK and Ireland can continue enjoying the best of Sony Pictures.
“We’ve seen the media landscape become increasingly competitive in recent years, but through it all, the appetite for great content, and connecting that with audiences, never changes. We’re incredibly delighted to announce this deal and extend our relationship.”