Netflix to add Miramax titles to Watch Instantly starting in June

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment, Movies

Netflix on Monday announced that it has inked a multi-year agreement with Miramax that will add some of the movie studio's most popular films to Netflix's Watch Instantly platform.

This deal marks the first time that Miramax movies have been available through a digital subscription service, Netflix said.

Starting June, subscribers will be able to access movies Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting, Bad Santa, Scream, Spy Kids, The Piano, and Kill Bill. Netflix will add "hundreds" of Miramax titles, which will be added to Watch Instantly on a rotating basis, the company said.

"From day one, we've been very clear about the importance of digital and our desire to respond to the significant pent-up demand for our films—delivering to consumers whenever and wherever they want," Mike Lang, CEO of Miramax, said in a statement. "This agreement is an important first step in our digital strategy. Netflix has always been a trailblazer, with a tremendous track record of innovation and quality customer service. We're thrilled to now be in business with them as we build and revitalize the proud Miramax brand."

Netflix has long said that streaming is its future. Last month, the company said it is considering a plan that would allow subscribers to watch concurrent "Watch Instantly" streams on the same account.

Netflix has invested significantly in licensing deals to bulk up its streaming service, recently inking a deal for the TV series "Mad Men," as well as Fox shows like "Glee." Last year, Netflix started offering a streaming-only service in the U.S. for $7.99 per month, and in March, it announced plans to offer original programming, starting in 2012.

Netflix has also expanded the number of devices on which users can access the service, including game consoles and mobile devices. Last month, an update to the Xbox 360 allowed users to control their Netflix queues with gestures via Kinect. Just last week, Netflix also started rolling out a streaming app to Android devices.

This article, written by Chloe Albanesius, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.