The "Star Wars" movies are heading to TNT and TBS as media parent Turner has nabbed TV-rights license worth over $200 million to air all 11 movies.
Now belonging to Walt Disney Studios as it purchased LucasFilm and 20th Century Fox, the "Star Wars" film series can now be seen on television, thanks to Turner's major licensing deal. TNT and TBS will now have exclusive liner basic cable rights to the global hit saga.
The popular film franchise includes the latest "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and soon, the next installment, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," which is expected in cinemas in December.
"The 'Star Wars' movies and characters are beloved across generations, captivating audiences and breaking box office records around the globe for nearly four decades," said Deborah Bradley, Turner's executive vice president of networks optimization, content strategy, and commercialization.
"Through this deal, TNT and TBS will be the exclusive basic cable home of one of the most iconic, enduring and valuable movie franchises of all time, giving viewers the chance to watch this amazing collection from the very beginning," she added.
TNT said it will air six initial movie installments for six consecutive nights starting Sept. 20. The "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" movie will air in early 2018. TNT will again air the first installment of the series to promote the newest movie in December.
The "Star Wars" films to air on TNT include "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones," "Star Wars: A New Hope," "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," and the "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith."
This is the second time TNT bought exclusive TV-rights for Disney movies. In 2014, Turner got a licensing deal to air five Marvel Entertainment movies, such as "Captain America 3" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
