• by Wayne Friedman , July 9, 2021

Looking to boost its streaming platforms with big films, Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV, its free-ad supported channel, have struck an exclusive deal with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group for its slate of live-action films, starting in 2022.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

This follows a deal Universal made with sister streaming company Peacock for the so-called “pay one” window -- the period that comes directly after a movie’s exclusive theatrical release. That deal starts in 2022.

The Amazon-Universal deal will get its film deal for “F9” and “Jurassic Park: Dominion,” following the four-month exclusive period on Peacock. The deal also includes library film products.

IMDb TV is the first ad-supported platform to secure exclusive “network-window rights” to Universal movies. The network is, in part, similar to free, ad-supported Roku Channel on the Roku platform. Both Roku and Amazon -- two of the largest video streaming set-top-box/platform distributors -- continue to bulk up movie and TV content.

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has structured its Peacock deal in an 18-month period of three segments -- a four-month exclusive period for Peacock followed by a 10-month period, where other non-exclusive distributors will get to air movies, followed by another four-month exclusive period for Peacock.