Tag Archives: nflx

Netflix sinks from ‘Crouching Tiger’ to ‘Billy Madison’

After going highbrow with its first movie production deal, backing a sequel to the Oscar-winning “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Netflix (NFLX) has gone lowbrow with a deal to make four movies with comedian Adam Sandler, the bane of film critics everywhere. Netflix said Thursday that it “will be the exclusive home of four feature films starring and produced by comic icon Adam Sandler, whose movies have delighted hundreds of millions of fans all over the world.” Netflix (NFLX) said Sandler is one of the few actors whose films consistently rank among the most viewed by Netflix members in the U.S. and across its global territories, “from Brazil to the U.K.” “When these fine people came to me with an offer to make four movies for them, I immediately said yes for one reason and one reason only: Netflix rhymes with Wet Chicks,” Sandler said in a statement. “Let the streaming begin!!!!”…

Redbox Instant joint venture rumored near end

The Redbox Instant joint venture between Outerwall (OUTR), the operator of Redbox DVD rental kiosks, and Verizon Communications is rumored to be coming to an end. The subscription service, which combined Redbox DVD rentals and Verizon streaming video, was launched in March 2013 in response to the growth of Netflix (NFLX) in the home video market. But the service never caught on with consumers. Gigaom reported on Monday that Redbox Instant is close to being shut down. It said the video service disabled sign-ups for new users three months ago because of a credit card fraud issue and hasn’t reopened its doors to new customers since. Also, existing customers have complained on social media that their service was terminated when they couldn’t update their payment information when their credit cards expired. A Verizon (VZ) spokesman declined to comment on the reports about Redbox Instant. Outerwall   (OUTR) did not respond to requests for comment as of this posting.

Netflix enters movie business with ‘Crouching Tiger’ sequel

After disrupting the home video industry, Netflix (NFLX) now looks to shake up the theatrical movie business. Next year, it will stream the long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning martial-arts epic “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” at the same time it premieres in select Imax theaters worldwide. Late Monday, Netflix (NFLX) announced an exclusive streaming deal with the Weinstein Co. for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend,” the follow-up to the 2000 film. It will premiere on Aug. 28, 2015, on Netflix and in Imax (IMAX) theaters. The movie is expected to be the first of several major films backed by Netflix that will premiere the same day on its Internet TV network and in select Imax theaters. The arrangement will give consumers around the world “unparalleled flexibility in how, when and where they enjoy a major motion picture,