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Turner Gets Broadcast, Ad-Supported VOD Rights to 'Star Wars' Movies

15 Sep, 2016 By: Erik Gruenwedel



Time Warner-owned Turner Broadcasting has inked a deal with Walt Disney Studios and 20th Century Fox for basic cable and ad-supported VOD rights to 11 Stars Wars movies, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens and upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The agreement with Disney, which reportedly is worth $200 million, includes five of the six original Star Wars films, as well as Force Awakens, Rogue One and the television premieres of three future movies (presumably Episode VIII, Episode IX and the recently announced standalone movie focused on a young Han Solo). 

Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, comes to Turner through a separate arrangement with Fox, thus making Turner the only company with basic cable rights to all 11 titles.

“The Star Wars movies and characters are beloved across generations, captivating audiences and breaking box office records around the globe for nearly four decades,” Deborah Bradley, EVP of networks optimization, content strategy and commercialization for Turner, said in a statement.

The movies begin on Turner Sept. 20, when TNT kicks off six consecutive nights of the first six films. The movies will also air in December, in conjunction with the theatrical release of Rogue One.

TNT is set to premiere Star Wars: The Force Awakens in early 2018, followed in 2019 with Rogue One.

Starz LLC currently airs The Force Awakens on pay-TV as part of its ending distribution agreement with Disney. Netflix holds future pay-TV rights (non ad-supported) to Disney movies, including Star Wars.

The broadcast schedule includes:

Tuesday, Sept. 20
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
11 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Wednesday, Sept. 21
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
11:05 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Thursday, Sept. 22
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
11:05 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Friday, Sept. 23
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: A New Hope
10:45 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: A New Hope

Saturday, Sept. 24
10:45 a.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
1:45 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
4:55 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
10:45 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Sunday, Sept. 25
5:15 a.m. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
8:15 a.m. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
11:20 a.m. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
2:25 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: A New Hope
5:10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
8 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
11 p.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
2 a.m. (ET/PT) – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace


 


About the Author: Erik Gruenwedel


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