Los Angeles – Google’s (NASD: GOOG) YouTube will soon launch a
full-fledged streaming movie rental service, featuring films licensed from Sony (NYSE: SNE)
Pictures, Warner Bros. (NYSE: TWX), Universal, Lionsgate and Kino Lorber, TheWrap.com
reported, citing movie executives with knowledge of the deals in place.
The
service could launch as early as this week or next, and will launch without
titles from Paramount (NYSE: VIA) or Fox (NYSE: NWS) — who declined the invite — while Disney’s (NYSE: DIS) stance is unclear, sources told TheWrap.
YouTube
first experimented with movie rentals during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival,
and has since expanded modestly to offer some independent films for streaming
rental for $2.99.
TheWrap noted it’s not clear what YouTube will charge to rent
major studio films during the traditional DVD window.
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(TheWrap.com)
