A24 inks multiyear deal for theatrical releases with Warner Bros. Discovery

Indie powerhouse A24 has a new home for its theatrical releases — both new and old. The production company has inked a multiyear exclusive deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to bring its entire slate of new releases to HBO, Max, and Cinemax after they leave theaters. On top of that, the two companies extended a licensing deal for its films that are already on HBO and Max — and will grow to include over 100 films in total, including The Whale, Uncut Gems, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and others.

The agreement is a Pay 1 output deal — which will mean that after new A24 films complete their run in theaters, they’ll only be available on these WBD-owned platforms for a set period of time. A24 had a similar Pay 1 deal with Showtime it signed back in 2019, which has since expired. 

An alliance between HBO and A24 isn’t exactly new. As mentioned, a number of A24 movies are already available on Max and HBO. Beyond that, A24 had already partnered with HBO to produce television shows like The Idol and Euphoria. The deal will bring both upcoming A24 films and its entire existing movie library — over 100 films in total — to HBO, Max, and Cinemax. This includes recent releases like Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Nicolas Cage’s Dream Scenario, and The Iron Claw, starring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White. It also includes older A24 films like Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Green Knight, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and many others. 

“Continuing our relationship with A24 to bring award-winning movies alongside recent fan-favorites to subscribers adds incredible value to the HBO and Max value proposition,” said Royce Battleman, executive vice president of content acquisitions at WBD, in a statement. 

The new agreement comes after a nearly six-month strike by Hollywood’s writing and acting unions that effectively paused production for most new film and TV productions in 2023. But even though the current output is low, the major streaming platforms aren’t necessarily hungry for new content — most actually have vowed to spend less on content moving forward. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has been particularly cavalier about this, even canceling finished movies like Batgirl. And last month, WBD axed Coyote vs. Acme, which is now being shopped around for another buyer. 

WBD’s deal with A24 will help fatten its offerings on all three of its properties: HBO, Max, and Cinemax. Not to mention, it’s cheaper than making new films and television from scratch.