Sony Pictures Entertainment is significantly expanding its long-running partnership with Netflix through a new, first-of-its-kind global Pay-1 licensing agreement that will bring Sony’s movies to Netflix audiences around the world.
Under the multiyear deal, Sony feature films will stream on Netflix globally after completing their full theatrical and home entertainment windows. The agreement builds on a 2021 U.S.-only deal that allowed Sony films to land on Netflix domestically following their theatrical runs.
That earlier agreement, valued at $2.5 billion, expires at the end of this year. The new deal will take effect in the United States at the start of 2027. Internationally, the rollout will happen gradually as existing territory rights expire. Netflix already holds Sony film rights in Germany and parts of Southeast Asia, with full global licensing expected to be in place by early 2029.
In addition to new theatrical releases, Netflix will also license select feature film and television library titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment, broadening the scope of content available to subscribers.
“Our partnership with Netflix has always been incredibly valuable,” said Paul Littmann, executive vice president of global distribution at 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.”
Sony films that have already benefited from the current U.S. agreement include It Ends With Us, Anyone But You and Venom: The Last Dance. The deal will also cover the upcoming Spider-Man installment Brand New Day.
Looking ahead, the new global pact will bring several high-profile releases to Netflix worldwide, including Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and director Sam Mendes’ planned quartet of films centered on The Beatles.
“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, Netflix’s vice president of licensing and programming strategy. She noted that Sony franchises such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and original hits like Anyone But You have already performed strongly with U.S. audiences.
The expanded Sony agreement comes at a turbulent moment for the industry, as Netflix is simultaneously navigating a proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and facing competition from Paramount Skydance’s hostile takeover bid. Even amid that backdrop, the Sony deal signals Netflix’s continued push to secure premium theatrical films as a cornerstone of its global streaming strategy.
