Roku Inks First Ever Pay-One Window Rights Deal With Saban Films
May 27 2021 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
The Roku Channel to become Free Streaming Home
for Saban Films
Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROKU) and Saban Films today announced a
landmark agreement granting Roku® the pay-one window streaming
rights to movies released by Saban Films. Under the agreement, a
selection of Saban’s 2021 film slate will stream free exclusively
on Roku’s ad-supported streaming service, The Roku Channel, in the
United States and Canada following theatrical and home
entertainment release. The deal is the first ever pay-one licensing
agreement for Roku.
Saban Films President Bill Bromiley commented, “Streaming has
become an incredible way to experience movie-making magic from the
comfort of your own home and we are thrilled to bring an
extraordinary lineup of entertainment to The Roku Channel and
America’s No. 1 TV streaming platform.”*
Saban's first film to premiere on The Roku Channel will be
“Echo Boomers” starring two-time Academy Award® nominee
Michael Shannon and Patrick Schwarzenegger on June 15. Future film
debuts include “Happily” starring Joel McHale and Kerry
Bishé; “Percy VS Goliath” (US Only) starring Academy Award®
winner Christopher Walken, Christina Ricci and Zach Braff;
“Under the Stadium Lights” starring Laurence Fishburne and
Milo Gibson, and more to be announced at a later date.
“Saban Films is a great partner with a history of creating
standout films,” said Rob Holmes, VP of Programming for Roku. “This
first-of-its-kind agreement allows us to bring these compelling
films exclusively to our large, engaged audience for free, and to
build upon the incredible growth of The Roku Channel."
Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel is the home of free and
premium entertainment on the Roku platform, including a diverse
lineup of more than 40,000 free movies and programs and 190+ free
live linear television channels. The Roku Channel licenses and
distributes content from more than 175 partners. In addition to
Roku devices, The Roku Channel is available on Web, iOS and Android
devices, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung TVs and can be accessed
internationally in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. In the first
quarter of 2021, we drove another record quarter of growth for The
Roku Channel, reaching U.S. households with an estimated 70 million
people.
Saban Films continues to grow its presence in the industry,
remaining active in the acquisition, production and distribution
space. The company’s successes have run the gamut from critically
acclaimed theatrical films such as The Homesman starring Hilary
Swank, to two of the biggest Fathom events with horror icon and
heavy metal mastermind Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell last year and Kevin
Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the sequel to the 2001 comedy
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which the company partnered on after
coming onboard at script stage.
*“America’s No. 1 TV streaming platform” is based on hours
streamed according to Hypothesis Group, April 2021.
About Saban Films
Saban Films, an affiliate of Saban Capital Group (“SCG”), is a
film acquisition and distribution company which acquires
high-quality, feature films to distribute in North America.
Focusing on commercial, talent driven films, the company looks at
projects in all stages of production for release across multiple
platforms, including a day and date theatrical/VOD release
strategy. Based in Los Angeles, Saban Films was established by Haim
Saban, SCG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and is led by Bill
Bromiley who serves as President, Shanan Becker, Chief Operating
Officer and Chief Financial Officer and Ness Saban, Vice President
of Business Development.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the
streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and
monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique
capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and
TV-related audio devices are available in the U.S. and in select
countries through direct retail sales and licensing arrangements
with service operators. Roku TV™ models are available in the U.S.
and in select countries through licensing arrangements with TV
brands. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. U.S.A.
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that
are based on our beliefs and assumptions and on information
currently available to us on the date of this press release.
Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These
statements include but are not limited to the benefits, features,
timing and availability of Saban films on The Roku Channel; trends
related to the shift to TV streaming; and the features, benefits,
growth and reach of The Roku Channel and the Roku platform. Except
as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these
forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons
actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in
the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes
available in the future. Important factors that could cause our
actual results to differ materially are detailed from time to time
in the reports Roku, Inc. files with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Copies of reports filed with the
SEC are posted on Roku’s website and are available from Roku
without charge.
Roku is a registered trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in
other countries. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other
companies appearing in this press release are the property of their
respective holders.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210527005348/en/
Roku US media contact: Ryan Donegan rdonegan@roku.com
Roku U.K. and Canada media contact: Mike Duin mduin@roku.com
Saban Media Contact: The DDA Group Saban@ddapr.com +1
(310) 205-4868
Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024