Netflix launches in France, partners with third-largest telco
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| The Netflix logo is is shown on an ipad in Encinitas, California, April 19,2013. |
(Reuters) - Netflix launched its video streaming service in France on Monday and teamed up with Bouygues to offer its content on France's third-largest telecom operator's set-top boxes.
California-based Netflix said in a statement its subscriptions would start at 7.99 euros ($10.35) a month and give access to films, series and documentaries on television, computers but also tablets, smartphones and game consoles.
Bouygues Telecom said in a separate statement that it would feature access to Netflix services on its clients' televisions starting in November. It is the first French operator to do so.
Vivendi-owned pay-TV operator Canal Plus has already launched its own streaming video services to blunt Netflix's arrival. So has France's leading telecom player Orange, which said in July it would not market Netflix when it launches.
Beyond France, Netflix is expanding into Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg this month, taking its international addressable market to more than 180 million broadband households — double the current U.S. market.
In an effort to tailor its services to French tastes, Netflix plans to produce an original series in France, called "Marseille", a political thriller set in the southern port city. It also bought the rights to a French kids cartoon called Wakfu created by an independent studio Ankama in northern France.
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Guardians of the Galaxy: Extended Trailer
The first two Guardians of the Galaxy trailers were pretty great. The trailers have mostly been about describing each character and telling the audience that this group of scoundrels is going to save the galaxy. In the new extended trailer we start to see a little more of the actual plot of the movie.
One of the the things that stands out in the extended trailer is our main bad guy Ronan the Accuser played by Lee Pace. In the comics Ronan’s storyline is extremely convoluted and it’s hard to say which Ronan will be appearing in Guardian’s of the Galaxy. One thing we do know is that this version of Ronan is probably a son of Thanos, just like his comic book counterpart. Since Guardians of the Galaxy is set in the same universe as Avengers and the other Marvel movies you can bet it continues to lead us toward a final Avengers move where we finally meet Thanos the villain behind all the other villains.
One of the the things that stands out in the extended trailer is our main bad guy Ronan the Accuser played by Lee Pace. In the comics Ronan’s storyline is extremely convoluted and it’s hard to say which Ronan will be appearing in Guardian’s of the Galaxy. One thing we do know is that this version of Ronan is probably a son of Thanos, just like his comic book counterpart. Since Guardians of the Galaxy is set in the same universe as Avengers and the other Marvel movies you can bet it continues to lead us toward a final Avengers move where we finally meet Thanos the villain behind all the other villains.
Interestingly Ronan and one of the other bad guys from this movie have a past. Ronan and Nebula the space pirate played by Karen Gillan have battled against each other before. Nebula has also battled Guardian Gamora… and fought along side her. Nebula once stole a giant spaceship, perhaps the one from the trailer, and claimed to be Thanos daughter as well.
It’s getting confusing isn’t it? There have been so many comic book versions of the characters in this movie, it’s hard to tell which ones will be in the film.
Check out the Guardians of the Galaxy extended trailer for yourself:
I do love that we start to see what a smart-ass Rocket Raccoon is too. What did you think of the new Guardian’s of the Galaxy trailer? Let us know in the comments below.
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Chinese scenic spot plans to sue over Transformers
BEIJING -- A company that operates a scenic landscape area in southwest China which features in the latest "Transformers" movie says it will sue its producers for breach of contract.
It is the second Chinese company to make public a dispute with Paramount Pictures over "Transformers: Age of Extinction," which heavily courts the Chinese audience with Chinese locations, actors and products and is on track to become China's biggest-ever grossing movie.
The Chongqing Wulong Karst Tourism Co. Ltd. said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the producers had failed to show its logo prominently in the movie as promised. As a result, it is not clear to viewers that the shots of the scenic spot in the movie are of Wulong, because they are interspersed with scenes from Hong Kong, and other tourist spots are claiming the karst peaks are theirs, it added.
It said it would file a suit at a court in Chongqing city demanding unspecified damages against Paramount Pictures and Beijing-based 1905 Internet Technology Company, one of the movie's Chinese partners. Wulong said it wanted measures taken to mitigate the damage and compensation for direct and indirect economic losses.
Paramount didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 1905 said in a statement on its website that Wulong had not paid them on time.
Last month, a Beijing property developer said it had filed a lawsuit alleging that Paramount and two of its Chinese associates had failed to deliver on pledges to hold the movie premiere at its hotel and feature images of its property in trailers and movie posters. Soon after the developer and Paramount said they had smoothed out the dispute.
The latest dispute comes as China overtook the U.S. in "Transformers" box office earnings. According to the box office tracking website Box Office Mojo, the movie had earned $213 million in China and $175 million in the U.S. as of Sunday. It was released on the same day in both markets.
The movie is expected to become China's highest-grossing movie early this week. Currently, the 2010 movie "Avatar" holds that accolade, having made $218 million in China.
"Transformers" has been helped by a favorable screening in China, with over half of all screens showing the film at the beginning of its release.
While the first three "Transformers" movies were already good earners in China, director Michael Bay heavily courted the Chinese audience in his latest by employing Chinese stars and basing part of the action in Chinese cities. While this interested many local movie goers, some criticized its numerous product placements, including Chinese liquor and milk.
A commentary in the Beijing Times on Monday said Hollywood movies do not have to "flatter" Chinese viewers and audiences would rather watch an "interesting story than various sorts of product placements."
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