Comcast/NBCUniversal is putting more of its weight behind Peacock by shifting its Universal film licensing deal from HBO to the ad-supported streaming service.
Beginning with the 2022 theatrical slate—which includes “Jurassic World: Dominion” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru”—all Universal film content will become available exclusively on Peacock as part of a new pay-one window deal. It means new movies from Universal, Focus Features, Illumination and DreamWorks Animation will arrive exclusively on Peacock no later than four months after their theatrical debuts.
Comcast said the traditional 18-month pay-one window will be broken into three segments and titles will be available for the first and last four-month segments exclusively on Peacock. The company said it will announce additional distribution partners for the rights to the remaining 10 months.
Additionally, beginning in 2022, original films developed and produced exclusively for Peacock by Universal Pictures will also premiere on the service.
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“Since launching Peacock just one year ago, we have seen incredible viewership of movies and continue to expand our catalog with a range of films for every fan and occasion,” said Matt Strauss, chairman of direct-to-consumer and international at NBCUniversal, in a statement. “Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has been a fantastic partner and we are excited to not only bring their amazing slate of blockbuster films and beloved franchises to Peacock in the first-pay window, but also provide a steady stream of fresh, original films exclusively for Peacock customers throughout the year.”
Peacock has attracted 42 million sign-ups and NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said that roughly one-third of Peacock’s sign-ups are monthly active accounts, meaning that about 14 million accounts are either using Peacock regularly or paying for it.
The service recently shored up some holes in its distribution by reaching deals for apps on Samsung smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV devices, two partners that had long been missing from Peacock’s device compatibility lineup. Now Comcast is moving more content onto Peacock—including extensive planned coverage for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo—in hopes of attracting more users and subscribers.