Reliance-owned Viacom18 has struck a deal with Warner Bros Discovery Inc. to bring popular Hollywood content to its streaming service, JioCinema. Viacom18 on Thursday announced that it has entered into a deal with Warner Bros to bring HBO, Max Original, and Warner Bros. content to the JioCinema app. The deal will allow popular shows such as “Succession”, “House of the Dragon”, the upcoming “Harry Potter” series, as well as DC Universe movies, to be available on the platform. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed by either party.
The agreement will bring thousands of hours of streaming content to JioCinema, which has gained immense popularity due to its free streaming of the IPL cricket tournament this season.
Viacom18 recently acquired the digital streaming rights for IPL from 2023 to 2027 for approximately $2.9 billion, which were previously held by Disney. Prior to March 31 this year, several of HBO’s top-rated shows, including the multiple Emmy-winning drama “Succession” which is currently airing its final season, were available on the Disney+ Hotstar platform as part of a previous agreement between the two companies that ended on that date.
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In a recent development, Viacom18 received a significant investment of $528 million from Bodhi Tree, a joint venture between James Murdoch and former Star India executive, Uday Shankar. Sources reveal that Warner had previously entered into various arrangements with leading Indian streaming giants, but the new deal with Viacom18 will consolidate the library, including HBO, Max, and other Warner content.
“We believe that Warner Bros. Discovery sets the global standards for premium content and this partnership allows us to create the best and the most comprehensive destination for our users,” said Ferzad Palia, Head – SVOD & International Business, Viacom18.
“This new agreement demonstrates our commitment to South Asia as we seek to entertain audiences across more platforms, and further strengthens the scale of our regional business as a whole,” said Clement Schwebig, President, India, Southeast Asia, and Korea, Warner Bros. Discovery.
JioCinema is a relatively small player in the market, where cheap data prices have made streaming platforms increasingly popular. According to Media Partners Asia, Netflix dominates the subscription video-on-demand market with a 39 per cent share by revenue in 2021, compared to its nearest competitor, Hotstar, which has a 23 per cent share. However, with the addition of HBO content, JioCinema will likely become a more serious contender in the market and an attractive option for viewers seeking to access popular Hollywood content.