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Skydance and Movistar Plus Expand Strategic Alliance with Co-Branded Originals
Confirmed
In Short: Movistar Plus and HBO are launching a new slate of jointly produced original series as part of a two-year renewal of their strategic alliance with Skydance.
At MIPCOM, Movistar Plus and HBO announced a new slate of jointly produced original series that will premiere simultaneously on both platforms, marking a two-year renewal of the Spanish platform’s strategic alliance with Skydance.
The deal includes continued first-run releases and catalogue titles from Warner Bros Pictures, as well as non-exclusive PGA Tour rights from July 2026 through December 2027.
Alessandro Araimo, MD and executive VP for Southern Europe at Skydance, emphasized the shared ambition to deliver outstanding entertainment experiences and support new creators and storytellers.
Alfonso Gómez Palacio, CEO of Movistar Plus, highlighted the agreement’s aim to offer customers one of the most comprehensive entertainment propositions, combining user experience with recognized content brands.
The initiative is designed to expand the reach of Spanish productions and offer local creative talent new opportunities for international exposure.
The first two series under the initiative were unveiled: 'Veredicto,' produced in collaboration with Ikiru Films and Luminol Media, and an untitled project from Carles Porta and Los Moriarti.
This strategic agreement marks the first announced by Skydance since the Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, bringing brands like HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros, Paramount, and CBS under the same roof.
Artwork accompanying the announcement featured titles such as 'Lanterns,' 'Supergirl,' 'FBI,' 'House of the Dragon,' and 'The Gilded Age,' highlighting the extensive programming available through the Spanish platform.
The companies will co-develop and co-produce select Spanish series under the Movistar Plus and HBO Original label, which will premiere simultaneously on Movistar Plus and HBO Max in Spain and key HBO Max territories worldwide.
The renewed agreement includes initiatives across streaming, channels, film, original content, and sports rights, designed to meet changing audience expectations and reinforce Movistar Plus’ position in the Spanish entertainment market.
Movistar Plus will continue to offer HBO Max as part of its streaming platform, strengthening its mix of international entertainment and home-grown storytelling.
The expanded offering is designed to enhance the visibility of Spanish creative talent and reinforce Movistar Plus’ commitment to high-quality original content.
What's confirmed
- “We share with Movistar Plus the ambition to deliver outstanding entertainment experiences and support a new generation of creators and storytellers,” said Alessandro Araimo, MD and executive VP for Southern Europe at Skydance.
- “This agreement strengthens our long-standing strategic partnership with Skydance and allows us to continue offering our customers one of the most comprehensive entertainment propositions in the market, combining the best user experience with some of the most recognised content and brands in the audiovisual industry,” said Alfonso Gómez Palacio, CEO of Movistar Plus.
- According to the companies, the initiative is intended to expand the reach of Spanish productions and offer local creative talent new opportunities for international exposure.
- The first two series under the initiative were also unveiled: Veredicto, produced in collaboration with Ikiru Films and Luminol Media and created by Eduard Sola, Pol Cortecans and Daniel González from an original idea by Carles Porta, and an as-yet-untitled project from Carles Porta and Los Moriarti, the team behind films including Maspalomas, Marco and The Endless Trench.
- It is the first strategic agreement announced by Skydance since Paramount Skydance completed its acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery this month, bringing brands including HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros, Paramount and CBS under the same roof.
- At the heart of the deal is a new joint label, Movistar Plus and HBO Original.
What's still developing
- The initial slate has a recognizable name attached.
- The new deal, one of the first annoinced by David Ellison's Skydance after iys merger, sees it unleashing its innate power, here via HBO Max, in a two-year pact with the biggest Spanish pay TV/SVOD player In what looks like a coup for both parties, Skydance and Movistar Plus, the biggest Spanish pay TV/SVOD operator, are expanding their strategic alliance, strengthening Skydance’s deal in distribution on Movistar Plus and taking it to the next level by including co-branded orginal series.
- The strategic co-development and co-branded series partnership is another and significant step in the same direction.
- Created by Eduard Sola again, Pol Cortecans and Daniel González from an original idea by Carles Porta, Spain’s master of true-crime, it stars Nagore Aranburu, the lead of “Querer,” Ernesto Alterio, Alba Flores (“Money Heist”), Omar Ayuso (“Elite”), Secun de la Rosa, Pablo Larraín go-to actor Alfredo Castro, Marc Soler, Júlia Mascort, Cris Blanco and Mamen Duch.
- I has also unveiled a new crime drama produced by Calvo and Ambrossi and created by “Anatomy of a Moment” writer Fran Araújo and “Querer” co-scribe Eduard Sola.