Yahoo Lifestyle Disney+ Signs Landmark French Media Chronology Agreement In Return For Reduced Media Window
Disney+ has signed a landmark media chronology deal in France committing it to investment obligations in French and European cinematographic and audiovisual works in return for a shorter release window.
Under the three-year accord, signed with film and TV guild alliances BLIC, BLOC and ARP, the platform has agreed to invest 25% of its annual net turnover in France in French and European productions.
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In return, Disney+ subscribers will be able to watch feature films on its platform nine months after their theatrical release in French cinemas, against the current release window of 17 months.
In addition, Disney+ has also committed to acquire and pre-acquire a minimum of 70 feature films over the three-year period over a widerange of genres and budgets.
The agreement comes amid the final stages of film and TV-industry wide negotiations on an update of current media chronology legislation, which was set for a three-year period in 2022 and is due to expire on February 9.
France’s strict media chronology rules have been a contentious issue for Disney with the company reluctant to sign up for official investment obligations and skipping theatrical releases for movies, such as Strange World in 2022, in protest at the previous 17-month window for Disney+.
“This agreement marks an important step for French audiences. Making films accessible to as many people as possible, first in cinemas, then much sooner on the Disney+ platform, is an essential first step in meeting the new behaviours and expectations of French audiences,” said Hélène Etzi, President of The Walt Disney Company France.
“This agreement testifies to Disney’s unwavering commitment to consumers, and its desire to continue working with French talent and producers,” she added.
The cinema guilds welcomed the agreement in a joint statement.
“We are very pleased that Disney+ joins the signatories of the media chronology having concluded a financing and distribution agreement with the cinema sector, thus allowing it to strengthen its support for French and European creation, and to offer its subscribers recent films.”
The announcement of the Disney agreement comes just days after Apple TV+ signed its first ever agreement with French audiovisual sector professional bodies committing the platform to investing 20% of its turnover in local and European productions.
The deal did not extend to cinema and there was no change to its 17-month window for movies released theatrically in France.
Netflix, which currently has 15-month media window, is also reported to be negotiating for a reduction, while French pay-TV giant Canal+, which remains the biggest investor in French and European cinema, is looking to trim its windows across both its pay-TV offering and streaming services.
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