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Netflix in movie deal with Relativity Media
MUMBAI: Online movie subscription service Netflix and Relativity Media have announced a long term agreement. Under this pact, major theatrically released films owned by Relativity Media will be licensed directly and exclusively to Netflix for streaming to its subscribers during the pay-TV window.
Traditionally, these films have flowed through Relativity‘s studio releasing partners to output deals with premium TV channels.
The deal marks a continued shift in the distribution of major motion pictures in the US. Under the agreement, an increasing amount of popular contemporary movies previously encumbered by pay TV agreements with premium channels such as HBO, Showtime and Starz will become available to be streamed from Netflix months – and not years – after their release on DVD. It will be the first time that studio quality theatrical feature films will be streamed via subscription by Netflix instead of being broadcast by the traditional pay providers, and it opens up a new revenue stream for such movies.
Among the first wave of films covered under the Netflix-Relativity deal are The Fighter starring Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams and distributed by Paramount Pictures, and Skyline, co-directed by the Brothers Strause and released by Rogue Pictures and Universal Studios. Both films are scheduled for theatrical release later this year and will be available at Netflix in early 2011. Also on tap for Netflix are Rogue Pictures‘ Nicolas Cage action/thriller Season of the Witch and Movie 43, written and directed by Peter Farley. Both are set to hit theatres this year as well.
Relativity has financed, co-financed or produced more than 200 features, generating more than $13 billion in worldwide box office revenue. 50 Relativity films have become Top 10 box office releases during the past two years. Current Relativity theatrical releases include Robin Hood, Get Him to the Greek and Grown Ups. Relativity produces and/or finances between 20 and 30 pictures a year, and it has more than 10 single picture movies – films it is financing and producing fully – that are scheduled to be released over the next 12 months.
Broadening the range and appeal of content available for Netflix members to watch instantly is among the company‘s top priorities, and the agreement with Relativity is a meaningful step in building the company‘s streaming offer.
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos says, “Our continued goal is to expand the breadth and timeliness of films and TV shows available to stream on Netflix. Historically, the rights to distribute these films are pre-sold to pay TV for as long as nine years after their theatrical release. Through our partnership with Relativity, these films will start to become available to our members just months after their DVD release.”
Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh says, “We have always been about finding new ways to grow and monetize our business. This clearly is a natural step in the evolution of the movie business and opens up a whole new world of revenue and marketing opportunities. Netflix has certainly made its mark, with a service that reaches over 13 million people and allows consumers to have what they want, when they want it. We have a shared vision, and this deal marks a significant change in our industry.”
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
