ITV1 signs deal to premiere hit films
Hit movies such as About A Boy, The Mummy Returns and Hannibal will get terrestrial TV premieres on ITV1 after the network tied up a deal today.
ITV chiefs have signed an agreement with distributor Universal to have access to 2001-03 cinema releases, as well as classics from the vaults.
Other new movies which ITV1 will have first bite at include American Pie 2 and Ali G In Da House, as well as forthcoming movies The Hulk and the Hannibal Lecter prequel Red Dragon.
ITV’s controller of acquisitions Jeremy Boulton said: ‘‘Universal has been experiencing tremendous success and this agreement secures the studio’s incredible slate of films for ITV1 in the UK.
‘‘We look forward with relish to screening these great movies for our viewers.’’
The agreement will also give access to UK film production firm Working Title’s output, such as Hugh Grant’s About A Boy.
Past titles included in the deal range from Terminator 2 to Murder On The Orient Express as well as a selection of titles from Universal’s library of 34,000 hours of TV.
