Showtime extends Amblin deal

The Light Between Oceans stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander

Showtime has agreed an extended output deal with Amblin Partners that will see the latter’s movies airing exclusively on the US cablecaster.

Releases from Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant Media will all become available to Showtime’s networks and VoD services until the end of 2021.

The arrangement, which extends an existing deal between Showtime and DreamWorks, will make up to nine movies a year available.

As many as six will come from Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures, and three from Participant Media, with films in the pipeline including The Light Between Oceans and The Girl on the Train.

Kent Sevener, senior VP of content acquisition at Showtime Networks, said: “Coupled with our award-winning series, specials, documentaries and sports offerings, as well as our current supply of theatrical titles, these critically acclaimed films add incredible value to our programming slate.”

The agreement is Participant’s first television output deal and comes after Steven Spielberg launched TV, film and digital production outfit Amblin Partners in December.

The firm has the backing of investors including India’s Reliance Group and transatlantic producer-distributor Entertainment One.