Peacock gets exclusive access to Universal films starting in 2022

As the streaming wars rage on, NBC in 2022 will make a play for subscribers with a deal that brings Universal films straight to its Peacock service after their theatrical release.

As part of a multi-year deal, movies from Universal, DreamWorks, Illumination, and Focus Films will land on NBC's Peacock as streaming exclusives for the first and last four months of an 18-month "pay-one" window, reports The Verge. Pay-one is industry parlance for first rights content agreements.

Sources said that Universal Filmed Entertainment Group movies will be available on Peacock no later than four months after their theatrical release. Anticipated titles include "Jurassic World: Dominion," an untitled Jordan Peele horror flick, and "Minions: The Rise of Gru."

Universal has also committed to creating exclusive content for the streaming service.

Peacock officially launched in July 2020 — Comcast customers were treated to an "early preview" in April — with up to 20,000 hours of content pooled from NBCUniversal's vast content holdings. The service has three tiers including an ad-supported free version with 13,000 hours of content, an ad-supported premium option with 20,000 hours of content and an ad-free top tier.

With a slate of classic content, as well as originals like "Punky Brewster" and "Saved by the Bell," Peacock is a major player in a streaming battle that includes Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Apple.

Apple's Apple TV+ service, which fields high-quality originals and exclusives, has since its launch relied on free trials to drive growth. The company previously offered a generous one-year subscription with eligible device purchase, but that came to an end this month and was replaced by a more traditional three-month preview period.

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