The newly mega-merged Skydance and Spain’s Movistar Plus unveiled an expansion of their strategic alliance on Tuesday through “a new two-year global agreement that further consolidates one of the most significant partnerships in the Spanish audiovisual industry.”
A key pillar of the pact is that Movistar Plus will continue to feature HBO Max as part of its streaming platform. Also covered under the new deal are “select Skydance TV channels, major theatrical releases from Warner Bros. Pictures, and new content agreements.” Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
The main new development in the expanded collaboration is “a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Spanish market, under which the two companies will launch a selection of local series under the joint Movistar Plus and HBO Original label.”
The first two titles to carry the joint originals label are Veredicto and a series that’s untitled so far.
Veredicto, Movistar Plus and HBO Original series produced in collaboration with Ikiru Films and Luminol Media, was created by Eduard Sola, Pol Cortecans and Daniel González from an original idea by Carles Porta. It will star Nagore Aranburu, Ernesto Alterio, Alba Flores, Omar Ayuso, Secun de la Rosa, Alfredo Castro, Marc Soler, Júlia Mascort, Cris Blanco and Mamen Duch. The partners didn’t immediately share further details.
The second original is a new Movistar Plus and HBO Original series from Carles Porta and Los Moriarti (Maspalomas, Marco, The Endless Trench), starring Anna Castillo, Pol López and Eduard Fernández.
“This initiative will expand the national and international reach of stories developed in Spain, enhancing the visibility of Spanish creative talent and reinforcing Movistar Plus’ commitment to high-quality original content,” the companies said.
“The renewed agreement includes new initiatives across streaming, channels, film, original content, and sports rights, strengthening a distinctive entertainment proposition designed to meet the demands of increasingly discerning audiences while reinforcing Movistar Plus’ position as one of the leading entertainment destinations in the market,” the partners said.
“This agreement strengthens our long-standing strategic partnership with Skydance and allows us to continue offering our customers one of the most comprehensive entertainment propositions in the market, combining the best user experience with some of the most recognized content and brands in the audiovisual industry,” said Alfonso Gómez Palacio, CEO of Movistar Plus.
“Great stories have the power to bring audiences together around the world, and this expanded alliance with Movistar Plus will allow us to continue bringing Spanish viewers some of the most influential franchises, films, and series in our industry,” highlighted Alessandro Araimo, managing director & executive vp, Southern Europe at Skydance. “From iconic cinematic universes to original productions with the potential to become global phenomena, we share with Movistar Plus the ambition to deliver outstanding entertainment experiences and support a new generation of creators and storytellers.”
Customers of the Spanish streamer will “continue to enjoy HBO Max’s catalogue with all the benefits of the Movistar Plus experience,” the companies said. “This integration makes content discovery easier and streamlines the user experience, allowing viewers to access all their entertainment from a single environment.”
HBO Max’s popular content includes the likes of The Pitt, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, films from Warner Bros. and DC, Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Harry Potter.