Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery renew distribution deal

‘Barbie’ (Source Canal+ Group)

French pay TV operator Canal+ Group has renewed its film distribution agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

Canal+ customers will have access to Warner Bros. Pictures films only six months after their theatrical release in France. Titles includes box-office hits Barbie, Wonka, The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Blue Beetle, The Color Purple and The Nun: The Curse of Saint Lucia.

In a press release, the pay TV giant said: “Warner Bros. Discovery also has one of the largest film catalogues with the biggest American stars, numerous franchises and successful films (Batman, Lethal Weapon, Ocean’s Eleven, Matrix, Mad Max Fury Road, Gatsby, Argo, Zodiac, etc.) and renowned, award-winning filmmakers from all over the world, including Clint Eastwood, Elia Kazan and Stanley Kubrick.”

“With this agreement, the Canal+ Group – which today offers its subscribers the richest cinema offering in its history – reaffirms its position as a privileged partner of the cinema.”

In December, Canal+ parent company Vivendi it was considering splitting itself into three separate listed entities, including the pay TV provider. It comes as part of a move aimed to remove a ‘conglomerate discount’ on the valuation of the whole company, it had suffered from a significant drop of its valuation since the distribution and listing of Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2021.