• VentureBeat , Monday, November 7, 2011 1:30 PM

Meanwhile, in the U.K. (and all of Ireland), Netflix has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with MGM Studios to become the exclusive subscription streaming service for much of the studio’s feature films. As VentureBeat reports, the licensing agreement is set to kick off when the Netflix streaming service launches in the two new markets in early 2012 -- which VentureBeat first reported in October.

“The MGM content will be available to subscribers in a variety of different streaming platforms, including computers, television sets, tablets, game consoles, set-top boxes and mobile phones,” it writes.

Netflix is expected to get some of the “first-run” content before other services, including both parts of director Peter Jackson’s prequels to the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again."

Also, as VentureBeat notes, subscribers in the regions can expect many older MGM films like "Fargo," "The Usual Suspects," "West Side Story" and "The Amityville Horror."

Meanwhile, VentureBeat adds, “No pricing has been officially announced for Netflix’s UK/Ireland streaming service subscriptions. However, it’s likely to mimic fees charged in the states.”

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