FX Scores Network Rights To Five Fox Movies

FX has scored exclusive network rights to five theatrical movies from 20th Century Fox, led by three summer hits: The Simpsons Movie, Live Free or Die Hard and Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The two other titles in the Fox deal are “Death Sentence,” a revenge thriller with Kevin Bacon, and “Hitman.” Both movies were box office disappointments, but their content fits FX’s programming strategy, which is geared more toward males than females. The movies become available to FX during the fourth quarter of 2009, after they’ve completed their exclusive pay TV run on HBO. FX declined to comment on the deal.

Although 20th Century Fox and FX are both divisions of News Corp., FX has also bought titles this year from studios including Columbia (Spider-Man 3, Superbad, Ghost Rider) and Disney (Wild Hogs). As part of the new deal, 20th will be allowed to carve out a window within the four-year FX license term to sell one or two runs of the movies to a broadcast network.