Netflix has entered into a multi-year global Pay-1 licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), under which Sony Pictures’ feature films have been made available exclusively on Netflix worldwide following their full theatrical and home entertainment windows. The agreement has marked an industry-first global Pay-1 arrangement for Sony Pictures’ theatrical slate.
The global Pay-1 rollout has been scheduled to begin later in 2026 as individual territory rights have become available, with full worldwide availability on Netflix expected by early 2029. As part of the agreement, Netflix has also secured rights to stream select Sony Pictures feature film and television library titles.
Netflix has already held Pay-1 rights to Sony Pictures’ feature films in select markets including the United States, Germany, and Southeast Asia. Titles that have streamed under the existing arrangement have included Uncharted, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, It Ends With Us, Anyone But You, and Venom: The Last Dance.
The expanded global agreement has covered Sony Pictures’ upcoming theatrical slate. Films that have been included under the deal have featured The Nightingale, starring Dakota and Elle Fanning; Sony Pictures Animation’s Buds; Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda; Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse; and Sam Mendes’ upcoming quartet of Beatles films.
The deal has strengthened Netflix’s Pay-1 content pipeline while allowing Sony Pictures to continue its distribution strategy without a proprietary direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
“Our members all over the world love movies and giving them exclusive access to Sony’s much loved films adds incredible value to their subscriptions,” said Lauren Smith, Vice President of Licensing and Programming Strategy at Netflix. “Sony’s impressive slate of iconic film franchises like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and originals like Anyone But You have been popular with our U.S. audience and now we’re excited to expand that offering to our members all around the world.”
“Our partnership with Netflix has always been incredibly valuable,” said Paul Littmann, EVP of Global Distribution, Sony Pictures Television. “This new Pay-1 deal takes that partnership to the next level and reinforces the enduring appeal of our theatrical releases to Netflix’s global audience. It also further underscores the strength of our independence and unique ability to create meaningful opportunities that benefit our creative stakeholders, consumers, and world-class partners.”
