Hollywood, Calif., January 16, 2026 – The battle for streaming supremacy just took a monumental turn.

Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) today announced a landmark global Pay-1 licensing deal, a move that will see SPE’s feature films stream exclusively on Netflix worldwide.

This is an industry-first for a global Pay-1 agreement, setting a new precedent for how major studio films find their post-theatrical home. But for viewers, does “global exclusive” mean ultimate convenience, or simply another step towards content silos?

Under this extensive multi-year agreement, all Sony Pictures’ feature films will land on Netflix globally following their full theatrical and home entertainment windows. While the rollout will be gradual, starting later this year as individual territory rights become available, the full global availability on Netflix is expected by early 2029.

This patient approach acknowledges existing contracts but charts a clear, unified future for Sony’s film library. Furthermore, Netflix will also license rights to select SPE feature film and television library titles, suggesting a deeper integration of Sony’s catalog.

Netflix is a global entertainment powerhouse with over 300 million paid memberships, is clearly leveraging its massive international reach. Lauren Smith, Vice President of Licensing and Programming Strategy at Netflix, emphasized that “Our members all over the world love movies and giving them exclusive access to Sony’s much loved films adds incredible value to their subscriptions.”

She highlighted the existing popularity of Sony hits like Uncharted, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, It Ends With Us, Anyone But You, and Venom: The Last Dance with their U.S. audience, now expanding that offering globally.

For Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation, this deal is a powerful statement about its market position. Paul Littmann, EVP of Global Distribution, Sony Pictures Television, called their partnership with Netflix “incredibly valuable,” noting this new Pay-1 deal “takes that partnership to the next level and reinforces the enduring appeal of our theatrical releases to Netflix’s global audience.”

He further added that it “underscores the strength of our independence and unique ability to create meaningful opportunities.” An interesting observation, given that “independence” now comes with a global exclusive streaming commitment.

Some of the highly anticipated SPE feature film titles set to stream on Netflix as part of this new agreement include The Nightingale, starring Dakota and Elle Fanning together for the first time; Sony Pictures Animation’s Buds; Nintendo’s live-action The Legend of Zelda; Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the conclusion to the groundbreaking trilogy; and Academy Award-winner Sam Mendes’ audacious quartet of Beatles films. This slate alone represents a formidable draw for Netflix subscribers, ensuring a steady stream of high-profile blockbusters and critically acclaimed productions.

This landmark deal reshapes the streaming landscape, consolidating a significant portion of upcoming tentpole films onto a single, dominant platform. While it promises unparalleled access for Netflix subscribers, it also intensifies the exclusive content model in an already fragmented market.

Is this the new normal for Hollywood’s biggest releases? For now, if you want your Sony blockbusters, Netflix is where you’ll be heading.