iWorld
International streaming service Starzplay rebrands as Lionsgate+ in 35 countries
Mumbai: Starz has announced that its premium international streaming service, Starzplay, will rebrand as Lionsgate+ in 35 countries. This coincides with a new brand look and graphics package, rolling out globally on 29 September 2022.
The new brand look, with its graphics package, colour palette, and design elements, will be deployed in the U.S. and begin rolling out in the majority of Starz’s 63 country footprint. Starzplay will rebrand to Lionsgate+ in 35 Starz markets, excluding the US and Canada, where it will remain Starz. Brand names for Starzplay Arabia, along with South and Southeast Asia’s Lionsgate Play, will also remain in place.
“We recognised the potential of the global OTT market early, and over the last few years we have built an incredible global streaming service, which has become a destination for audiences seeking premium, provocative programming. Operating under Lionsgate+ internationally brings a distinct and differentiated identity in an increasingly crowded international marketplace and builds on the brand equity in the Lionsgate name that our extensive research has proven is strong around the world. Even with the separation of STARZ and the Lionsgate studio business, the Lionsgate brand will continue to be valuable to the ongoing success of our international platform,” said Starz president & CEO Jeffrey Hirsch.
“Our commitment to delivering bold, curated stories where we push boundaries and defy expectations remains the same. We have built strong relationships with our viewers and look forward to continuing providing them with premium storytelling as Lionsgate+,” said Starz president of international networks Superna Kalle.
Lionsgate+ subscribers have access to a library of exclusive, premium content, including original series premiering globally on the same day as the United States, such as the political thriller Gaslit; period dramas in its royal collection, such as the upcoming series Dangerous Liaisons; and a series set in the universe of the blockbuster Power franchise. Lionsgate+ is also home to Spanish-language original series such as the drama Señorita 89, sci-fi thriller El Refugio and crime drama Express, and offers first-run series on television, including the genre-bending series The Great, and the action-thriller series Gangs of London, plus a collection of movies added to the platform every month.
Starz established itself as one of the first US linear channels to enter the global market upon launching its global SVoD service, now Lionsgate+, in 2018, offering audiences access to what it calls bold, curated storytelling. Since its initial launch, coupled with its Starzplay Arabia joint venture, Starz’s global footprint has expanded into 63 countries throughout Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, MENA and Southeast Asia.
With the rebrand in effect, below is the breakdown of service names across the 63 countries where SVoD has a presence.
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
