As Foxtel looks to cut a deal to buy Channel 10, the Nine Network is ramping up its content offering, by joining forces with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a multi-year deal to exclusively premiere first-run films and TV shows.
The Nine Network and Fairfax recently teamed up to create Streamco and the new Australian Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) service called Stan. Today, Streamco and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have announced an agreement for Stan to use premiere first-run film and TV shows, and it will also make Stan the exclusive SVOD home for the Emmy-winning miniseries Fargo.
CEO for Stan, Mike Sneesby, said: “Fargo has proved to be one of 2014’s best new series and adds to the lineup of high-quality dramas Stan will have at launch. MGM’s library includes some of the greatest movies ever made, and we’re delighted to be able to bring a range of them to Stan for our audience to enjoy.”
MGM’s president, Chris Ottinger, said: “MGM is thrilled to offer Stan’s audience access to a wide variety of premium entertaining content, including new and classic titles from our catalogue, as well as Fargo, our breakout Emmy-winning miniseries featuring world-class talent.”
Stan will offer a number of first-run MGM movie titles when it’s launched – tipped to be in February next year. First-run movies include the second film in Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s epic Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Other films include RoboCop, 21 Jump Street and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Titles will be available to watch instantly in full HD on multiple platforms including television, tablets, computers and mobile phones.
A selection of MGM catalogue titles will be made available, including all-time greats such as When Harry Met Sally, The Silence of the Lambs, West Side Story and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Classic franchises including Rocky, RoboCop, The Pink Panther and Legally Blonde.
The deal also includes television series such as Teen Wolf, The L Word and Will and Grace.
Stan has also secured exclusive SVOD rights to this year’s Emmy-winning miniseries Fargo. An original adaptation of the Academy Award-winning feature film, the miniseries features a new ‘true crime’ story and follows a new case and new characters, all entrenched in the trademark humour that made the film an enduring classic.
Fargo has received rave reviews worldwide, including 18 Emmy nominations and three wins including Outstanding Miniseries; Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Colin Bucksey)
and Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Rachel Tenner and Jackie Lind).
