NBCUniversal films will bypass HBO for Peacock

In another sign that streaming is upending the Hollywood status quo, NBCUniversal said Tuesday that, starting next year, its movies would bypass HBO and have their initial post-theatrical runs instead on Peacock, the media giant’s nascent streaming service.

The exclusive 18-month post-theatrical “window” for films made by Universal and its specialty arm, Focus Features — some 30 movies annually — has been held by HBO since 2005. That post-theatrical window will now be broken into three parts.

Universal movies will begin to flow to Peacock no later than four months after they appear in theaters, and they will remain on Peacock for four months. The movies will then move to third-party streaming services for 10 months under licensing deals still to be announced. The movies will return to Peacock for the final four months.

Consumers have long complained about the confusing way that studios splice and dice movie availability in an effort to maximize revenue, but Universal said that its three-pronged approach was intended to “maximize consumer access” to its films. “Titles will constantly refresh across the streaming ecosystem ensuring no title or platform is oversaturated,” the studio said in a news release.

The approach, of course, will also maximize revenue.

NBCUniversal’s move away from HBO as a primary distribution partner reflects a broader trend in entertainment. As media companies have introduced their own Netflix-style services, they have ended or pared back distribution agreements with rivals in favor of bolstering their own platforms. New movies from Disney, for instance, no longer flow to Netflix after their theatrical runs; instead, they head to Disney+.

The Peacock partnership will last for at least five years, ensuring a steady stream of prominent films to the fledgling service. Universal’s 2022 slate includes “Jurassic World: Dominion”; an original horror film from Oscar-winning screenplay writer Jordan Peele; “Minions: The Rise of Gru”; and another “Downton Abbey” movie.

Universal said Tuesday that it would also begin making a handful of films annually that would skip theaters altogether and be made available exclusively on Peacock.