Mubi, the global streaming service, is expanding its U.S. library with more than 50 titles from Sony Pictures collection. The eclectic mix of movies ranges from studio blockbusters like Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters Of The Third Kind with the arthouse fare like Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence and The Last Picture Show by Peter Bogdanovich. The collection also features acclaimed works from directors such as Wes Anderson, Pedro Almodovar, and Guillermo Del Toro.
Mubi, which currently offers over 900 films on its U.S. platform, adds a new title every day. The addition of the Sony Pictures’ collection is a significant boost to its library, especially since studios are increasingly keeping their content in-house for their own streaming services. Unlike its peers, Sony Pictures does not have its own streaming platform, making this collaboration with Mubi a unique opportunity to showcase its diverse movie catalog to a wider audience.
Under the new deal, each film from the Sony Pictures collection will have its own release window, with some already available and the rest gradually making their way onto the platform through the end of 2024. The diverse selection of titles includes acclaimed works such as Wong Kar-wai’s 2046, Almodóvar’s Volver, Todd Haynes’ Safe, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep With Anger, Satoshi Kon’s Paprika, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon, Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone, Chloe Zhao’s The Rider, Sally Potter’s Orlando, John Cassavetes’ Husbands, and Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York.
In addition to its streaming service, Mubi also functions as a distributor and has recently expanded into producing films. Its biggest U.S. release to date is Decision To Leave by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, which was shortlisted for an Oscar. Mubi has also acquired Passages, directed by Ira Sachs, which premiered at both Sundance and Berlin film festivals. Passages is set to be released in the U.S. in August. Last year, Mubi made significant moves to expand its presence in the film industry by acquiring The Match Factory and Match Factory Productions, both of which specialize in film sales and production. In addition to this acquisition, Mubi also announced the production of Zia Anger’s My First Film in the fall of 2021. Mubi offers a premium subscription service called Mubi Go, which provides subscribers with a free movie ticket to a selected film each week in major cities such as NYC, LA, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, and Denver. The service has been well-received by indie distributors whose films have been chosen as Mubi picks of the week, with many stating that it has helped to attract more audiences to their films. Mubi is currently in the process of securing deals with additional theaters, with plans to roll out the service to more markets later this year.Mubi’s base plan in the U.S. is $12.99 a month, or $17.99 with Mubi Go
Codie Allen is a passionate trans and queer film critic and entertainment writer based in Orlando, FL. A Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, Dorian Awards member, and CACF member, they also contribute to The Curb and InSession Film. When they’re not writing about films, you can find them sipping way too much tea and listening to Taylor Swift.
