SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED
U.K. broadcaster ITV and streamer ITVX will be the next British home for the James Bond films. ITV has struck a deal with Amazon MGM Studios Distribution to make 25 James Bond films available via linear channels and catch-up on ITVX. The deal marks the first time that the Bond films have been available via an AVOD streaming platform in the U.K., ITV said. Each film will be available to ITVX viewers for 30 days post linear transmission.
The series will launch March 4 on ITV 4 with “Goldfinger,” followed by “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” “The Spy Who Loved Me,” “Licence to Kill,” “GoldenEye” and “Skyfall” over the next week. The deal also includes feature-length documentary “Everything Or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007” and “Being James Bond: The Daniel Craig Story.” The 25-film collection is scheduled to air multiple times a year on ITV channels.
Darren Nartey, senior acquisitions manager, films and kids, at ITV said: ‘It doesn’t get any more iconic than James Bond and we are honored to bring this fantastic catalogue of films to our viewers both on our linear channels and via catch-up on ITVX. Now where is my martini…”
DISTRIBUTION
After an international festival run that included Sydney, Chicago and Mumbai, Karan Gour‘s “Fairy Folk” will release in Indian cinemas across Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Kolkata and Bengaluru on March 1. The Indian film is a magical realist drama in which a genderless woodland being crashes into the lives of a jaded couple. The cast includes real-life couple Mukul Chadda (“Rana Naidu”) and Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”) who star together. Gour debuted with “Corrode,” which won the Asian New Talent Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2012. “Fairy Folk” is produced by Empatheia Films, Balawala Cinema and Timbuktu Films.