Peacock, NBC's streaming service, will have all Universal films starting in 2022
The streaming service Peacock is ramping up its offerings with a new deal with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.
The companies said Tuesday that starting in 2022 all Universal films, including the new âJurassic Worldâ and âMinionsâ movies, will become available exclusively on Peacock no later than four months after their theatrical premieres. Both companies are subsidiaries of Comcastâs NBCUniversal.
The unique multi-year deal guarantees that in an 18-month window, Universal films will be available on Peacock for the first and last four months. The films can be licensed to other services in the middle 10 months.
Universalâs 2022 slate incudes âJurassic World: Dominion,â âMinions: The Rise of Gru,â âPuss in Boots: The Last Wishâ and a new original film from âGet Outâsâ Jordan Peele.
The studio will also start developing and producing Peacock-only content.
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NBCUniversal launched Peacock in 2020 as a streamer competing for viewers' eyeballs in the crowded market that also includes Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Disney+, Apple TV+, CBS All Access and HBO Max, plus smaller players like YouTube, Acorn TV, Crackle and Shudder.
The service, given its avian name from NBC's longtime nickname, is filled with a library of titles under the Comcast corporate umbrella, including NBC series and Universal movies such as "30 Rock," "Battlestar Galactica" and "The Office."
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For the Tokyo Olympics, Peacock will broadcast womenâs and menâs gymnastics, along with every Team USA menâs basketball game, plus the menâs and womenâs 100-meter finals. Comcast, which owns NBC Universal, said Peacock reached 42 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2021.
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Contributing: Kelly Lawler and Scooby Axson, USA TODAY