Variety
3rd August 2006
Big pics set for download
Sony preps films for new rental system
By Elizabeth Guider
"The Da Vinci Code" and "The Producers" are among movies being made available by Sony Pictures TV Intl. for rental download across Europe.
Deal between SPTI and Arts Alliance Media (AAM), a leading Euro provider of digital film distribution services, was unveiled Thursday in London. No financial terms were made available.
Terms of the agreement allow AAM to digitally distribute 180 of Sony Pics' back catalog titles, including classics such as "Taxi Driver" and "Gandhi" and new releases over the next three years including "Spider-Man 3."
The films will be available from AAM's download partners, Lovefilm (www.lovefilm.com), a Euro DVD rental site, and AOL (www.aol.co.uk), which has over 2.2 million members in the U.K.
AAM CEP Howard Kiedaisch said that his service also has similar deals with Warner Bros., NBC Universal, Momentum, Tartan and Fremantle.