C21 Media
22nd October 2007
Paramount in UK download first
Paramount Digital Entertainment International has signed its first online distribution deal in the UK, with the US studio's movies due to go on to Arts Alliance Media's Vizumi network.
The deal means that films distributed by Paramount will be available to download to rent and to own from the same service for the first time in the UK, and covers both new-release and catalogue films.
Recent titles such as Mission: Impossible III and Babel, as well as library titles including The Italian Job and The Untouchables will be downloadable from Vizumi and partner sites LoveFilm, Tiscali and Emap's Empire. Download-to-own titles will cost £2.99 (US$6.09).
"As we seek to broaden our digital footprint across Europe, I'm confident that with the quality of our movie catalogue, along with the strength of our current releases and our upcoming slate, we will provide a compelling proposition for our consumers and our partners alike," said Thomas Lesinski, president of Paramount Digital Entertainment.
Arts Alliance Media now claims it has the largest aggregated online distribution rights collection in Europe, with deals with majors 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros, and independents such as Momentum, Icon, FremantleMedia, Tartan and Discovery Networks.