Netflix has opted not to renew an agreement with cable network Epix, which will lead the company to soon pull “The Hunger Games” and other popular films from its movie streaming-service.
The company said the slate of films, which also includes “World War Z” and “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” will expire on Netflix’s (NFLX) service at the end of September. The move mirrors a similar strategy that Netflix has implemented in the past: it prefers to showcase content that isn’t so readily available from competitors.
“While many of these movies are popular, they are also widely available on cable and other subscription platforms at the same time as they are on Netflix and subject to the same drawn out licensing periods,” wrote Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos in a blog post. As TechCrunch points out, Netflix had an exclusive two-year deal with Epix as of 2010, but Amazon later (AMZN) signed its own agreement with the company. Hulu this weekend also inked its own pact with Epix.
Netflix has in the past signed major blockbuster deals with studios such as Walt Disney (DIS), while allowing other partnerships to expire, like the one that ended with Viacom (VIA).
With the move away from Epix, Netflix touted the company’s own efforts to launch original content, which the company has contended motivates customers to join the site and watch more content that is exclusive to Netflix. That effort is also winning industry accolades: Netflix this year picked up a record 34 nominations for its programming.
