Hulu Announces Exclusive Multi-Year Licensing Agreement with
Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution for FX Networks’ Original Series
Produced by FX Productions
Landmark SVOD Agreement Grants Hulu Exclusive Streaming Rights to
FX Networks’ Series Tyrant, The Strain, Married, You’re The Worst, and
Upcoming Series Man Seeking Woman, The Comedians, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, Taboo,
and the Upcoming FOX Event Series Wayward Pines
LOS ANGELES, CA (December 18, 2014) – Hulu has closed a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution for the exclusive subscription video on demand rights to new and upcoming FX and FXX primetime comedy, drama and miniseries in a new, multi-year agreement for FX Networks’ series produced or co-produced by FX Productions (FXP).
The deal will make Hulu the subscription video on-demand (SVOD) home to the largest selection of FX Networks content available through tablets, smartphones, gaming platforms and other internet-connected devices. Current season FX Networks series will remain available via the FXNOW app to authenticated subscribers through their MVPD provider.
The first seasons of FX and FXX primetime titles including Tyrant, The Strain, Married, and You’re the Worst – all of which debuted in 2014 - will become available exclusively on Hulu with a Plus subscription in advance of their second season premieres. Hulu also gains exclusive subscription streaming rights to subsequent seasons of those shows.
Future FX Networks’ series that will be exclusive to Hulu in the SVOD window include the comedy series Man Seeking Woman starring Jay Baruchel (series premieres January 14 on FXX); the comedy series The Comedians, starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad (series premieres spring 2015); Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, starring Denis Leary and John Corbett; the period drama series Taboo, starring Tom Hardy from Executive Producer Ridley Scott; and the highly-anticipated comedy series Baskets, starring Zach Galifianakis produced by Louis C.K. and Galifianakis (debuts 2016). Tyrant, The Comedians, and Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll are co-productions between Fox 21 Television Studios and FXP, and Taboo is a co-production of FXP, Scott Free Films, Hardy Son & Baker, Sonar, and BBC One.
In addition to FX Networks’ original series, Hulu will also gain exclusive subscription streaming rights to FOX’s upcoming event series Wayward Pines from executive producer and director M. Night Shyamalan. The series stars Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard and Melissa Leo (series premieres May 14 on FOX).
Another key element of the deal is an extensive, innovative co-marketing arrangement. FX Networks will provide Hulu with significant promotion across FX, FXX and FXM. Hulu will provide FX Networks on- and off-site branding to reinforce the association of the shows with the FX networks and further strengthen the FX brand. This unified approach to marketing and promotion both reflects and embraces the new ways in which viewers consume television.
“FX Productions shares the same commitment to creating and distributing distinctive, high quality programming that we do here at Hulu. We are thrilled to begin this partnership, which will add a wide variety of popular series, and fresh, yet-to-air series to our ever expanding roster of great content,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President, Head of Content Hulu.
In addition, Hulu has also licensed – non-exclusively – prior seasons of award-winning FX Networks’ dramas Sons Of Anarchy and American Horror Story, as well as hit comedies It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Louie, Archer, The League, and Wilfred.
"We're delighted to partner with Hulu on this exciting and groundbreaking deal," said Gina Brogi, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Pay TV & SVOD at Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution. She added, "It will not only expand the audience reach for much of the terrific FX and FXX programming, but does so in a way that represents how traditional TV and emerging platforms, such as Hulu, can work together and leverage their respective strengths, to satisfy the ever changing viewing habits of the audience."
“Our new partnership with Hulu is a milestone that we have been building toward for the past decade,” said Eric Schrier, President of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions. “This landmark deal speaks to the quality of the FX roster of original series as well as the importance and growth of our in-house production unit FXP. This partnership is an integral component to our future and will allow us to continue to expand our original programming offerings.”
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