Bell Media Seals Long-Term Deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution to Bring HBO Max Original Programming to Canada

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Oct 30, 2019, 07:05 ET

– Premium content pipeline secured for Bell Media's Crave streaming service –
– All-new series coming to Crave and the CTV channel portfolio include recently announced big-buzz titles GOSSIP GIRL and THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT –
– Deal also extends pay TV deal for first-run Warner Bros. feature films –

TORONTO and LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Bell Media announced today a new long-term exclusive deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution that brings original programming from WarnerMedia's HBO Max to Canada, beginning in 2020. The announcement is the first for HBO Max programming outside of the U.S.

The agreement extends Bell Media's programming partnership with HBO, one of the world's most prestigious entertainment brands, expanding the company's HBO content offering on its SVOD service, Crave, and reinforcing Bell Media's commitment to delivering the most sought-after programming in the world. It also establishes a new alliance with HBO Max, making original series from the highly anticipated new service available to Canadians via Crave and Bell Media's suite of CTV-branded platforms.

The deal extends the pay TV rights for Warner Bros first-run feature films adding to the strong relationship already in place between Warner Bros. and CTV for network series, and with Bell Media's specialty services for cable series.

The deal encompasses new scripted series primarily produced by the divisions of the Warner Bros. Television Group for HBO Max. Series confirmed for Crave and CTV include buzz-worthy titles with massive star power in front of and behind the camera, such as:

the recently announced new GOSSIP GIRL series that's set to follow a new generation of New York private school teens, executive produced by the creative team behind the original series;
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, a dark comedic thriller starring and executive produced by THE BIG BANG THEORY's Kaley Cuoco in her much-anticipated return to television, along with Rosie Perez, GAME OF THRONES alum Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet of GIRLS, and more;
DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD, from Academy Award®–nominated Canadian director Denis Villeneuve and set in the universe of Frank Herbert's epic Dune novel series;
and COLLEGE GIRL (working title) from Emmy®-nominated writer/producer Mindy Kaling (THE MINDY PROJECT, THE OFFICE) about the romantic lives of three young women at an East Coast university.

In addition to the above-mentioned series orders, select future projects in the works at HBO Max from Warner Bros. Television Group include: two DC dramas from Berlanti Productions, GREEN LANTERN and the anthology STRANGE ADVENTURES; DC drama DMZ, from WESTWORLD's Roberto Patino and Oscar® nominee/Emmy® winner Ava DuVernay; drama CRIME FARM, from executive producer Nicole Kidman; the young adult-focused RED BIRD LANE, from John Wells Productions; drama RULES OF MAGIC from JESSICA JONES' Melissa Rosenberg and Dana Barrata; drama THE SHELLEY SOCIETY from RIVERDALE's Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa; the hybrid live-action/animated comedy TOONED OUT from The LEGO™ Batman Movie's Jared Stern and Oscar® winner Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit); multicamera comedy DC SUPER HERO HIGH from executive producer Elizabeth Banks; and more.

"Bell Media has been an important partner with its channels and platforms bringing HBO originals to viewers in Canada for many years," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer. "It is only fitting we are not only extending this relationship but also deepening it to include great new series produced for HBO Max."

"As we approach the one-year anniversary of the all-new Crave, we're more committed than ever to ensure ongoing access to the highest caliber content," said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media. "With this new HBO Max agreement, we are expanding our long and successful partnership with HBO and Warner Bros. and demonstrating this commitment to premium content in an era of increasing competition."

"Bell Media has been a long-term and strategic partner for both Warner Bros. and HBO," said Jeffrey Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. "It is only logical for us to expand the relationship by adding the upcoming original programming from HBO Max as well as extend the successful relationship covering our feature films, network series, and cable programming. All of this together makes Bell Media a great Canadian home for all of these assets from WarnerMedia."

Specific details on the rollout of HBO Max programming in Canada will be confirmed in the coming months.

About Crave:
Delivering more Emmy^® Award-winning programming than any other service, Crave is Canada's prestige entertainment offering, with HBO, SHOWTIME^®, Starz, Hollywood-hit movies, a superior collection of kid's movies and programs, and thousands of hours of acclaimed television series, specials, factual programming, and originals that can't be found anywhere else. Crave is the exclusive home of HBO in Canada, delivering HBO's current slate of signature dramatic and comedic programs, documentaries, films, and live specials, as well as titles from HBO's extensive off-air library. Crave is also home to current SHOWTIME series and specials, and past SHOWTIME hits. Crave is available directly to all Canadians with access to the Internet via iOS and Android, and other platforms. It's also available through participating television providers across six 24-hour High Definition linear and on demand channels. Crave is from Bell Media, Canada's leading content company, providing Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming on network, specialty, pay and digital platforms. Visit our website at Crave.ca.

About Bell Media:
Bell Media is Canada's leading content creation company with premier assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, digital media, and more. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's highest-rated television network; 29 specialty channels, including leading specialty services TSN and RDS. Bell Media is Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 215 music channels including 109 licensed radio stations in 58 markets across the country, all part of the iHeartRadio brand and streaming service. Bell Media owns Astral, an out-of-home advertising network of 50,000 faces in five provinces. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; video streaming services including Crave, TSN Direct, and RDS Direct; and multi-channel network Much Studios. The company owns a majority stake in Pinewood Toronto Studios; is a partner in Just for Laughs, the live comedy event and TV producer; and jointly owns Dome Productions Partnership, one of North America's leading production facilities providers. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. Learn more at www.BellMedia.ca.

About Warner Bros. International Television Distribution:
Warner Bros. International Television Distribution is one of the world's largest distributors of feature films, television programs and animation to the international television marketplace (broadcast, pay cable, basic cable, satellite, pay-per-view, subscription video-on-demand, digital platforms, etc.), licensing content from Warner Bros., HBO and Turner. WBITD distributes more than 61,000 hours of programming (including more than 6,500 features and 3,000 television programs, comprised of tens of thousands of individual episodes), dubbed or subtitled in more than 40 languages, to telecasters and cablecasters in more than 175 countries.

SOURCE Bell Media