Following on Netflix's heels, Hulu closes deal to stream Miramax films

It didn't take long for Miramax to close another deal to stream its movies over the Internet. Following on the heels of its May 16 hookup with Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), the recently purchased studio now has a new multi-year, multi-zero deal with the other big player in the space, Hulu.

Good Will Hunting - Mirimax

Hulu will begin offering Miramax films including Good Will Hunting (pictured) and Pulp Fiction.

Like the deal with Netflix, Hulu subscribers will have access to hundreds of films, including Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Scream, Swingers and The English Patient from the Miramax film library. No word on how much the deal was worth, but reports say the Netflix tie-up earned Miramax about $100 million.

But users of the ad-supported Hulu service will get a smaller piece of the overall library, with a subscription to Hulu Plus required for complete access.

According to Hulu, 27 titles already are up and available, with "hundreds more to be added steadily over the next month or so."

Hulu Plus subscribers can watch the films in HD on Internet-connected TVs, phones, or Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPads. Hulu is offering a free trial of the service for a week and says it will be showcasing a selection of Miramax titles each month for free on the ad-supported Hulu service. This is the first time Miramax has made films available to movie fans on an ad-supported, on-demand streaming basis.

"Making our films available via premium digital distribution channels is extremely important to Miramax," said Miramax CEO Mike Lang. "Hulu has established its presence in the market as a leader in innovation and in delivering value for consumers and content owners. As one of the early promoters of Hulu and its CEO Jason Kilar, I couldn't be more excited than to be in business with them today, and we're thrilled about the prospect of enhancing both our brands by making our films accessible to Hulu's fast-growing audience."

Miramax's Lang, as an aside, is a former News Corp. exec. Hulu is owned by a trio of media companies including News Corp., Disney and Comcast's NBC Universal. Such a small world.

Last November, Google made news as it chased Miramax's new owners, Filmyard, as it tried to gain rights to the studios archives.

For more:
- see this blog
- see this release

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