Foxtel Movies
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pay television |
| Predecessor | Movie Network Channels, Showtime Movie Channels |
| Founded | January 1, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Pay television movie channels |
| Owner | Foxtel |
Foxtel Movies comprises a collection of 11 pay television movie channels in Australia, which commenced operations on 1 January 2013. Owned by Foxtel, this channel group succeeded the previous Movie Network Channels and Showtime Movie Channels packages.
History
In mid-2012, Foxtel decided to bring movie content management in-house following the expiration of contracts with Showtime Movie Channels and Movie Network Channels. This strategy aimed to cut expenses by up to 40% through direct agreements with Hollywood studios.
On 11 October 2012, Foxtel took ownership of assets from the Premium Movie Partnership, assuming control of Showtime channels starting 31 October. Subsequent discussions with Movie Network shareholders resulted in the closure of Movie Network on 1 January 2013.
The Foxtel Movies brand was unveiled on 9 December 2012, accompanied by securing film rights from major studios such as 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and NBCUniversal. Additional contracts with Village Roadshow and Warner Bros. further expanded its movie catalog.
After receiving subscriber concerns regarding a reduction in channels from 15 to 11 without altering subscription fees, Foxtel responded by adding two timeshift channels in January 2013. By February, deals with The Walt Disney Company and MGM completed Foxtel’s access to all leading studios.
In October 2013, Foxtel expanded its agreements to include prominent independent distributors like StudioCanal, Entertainment One, and Icon Productions. On 1 January 2014, the channels underwent rebranding, updating names and visual presentation while keeping their programming intact.
April 2014 marked the debut of Foxtel Movies Disney, a channel dedicated to Disney, Pixar, and affiliated content. A timeshift version was introduced in March 2015. In July 2016, Foxtel launched Foxtel Movies More to host themed events and temporary pop-up channels.
To address the gap left by previous services and the discontinuation of Turner Classic Movies in Australia, Foxtel introduced Foxtel Movies Greats in March 2018, focusing on classic cinema.
On 7 November 2019, Disney terminated its output agreement with Foxtel Movies ahead of Disney+ launching in Australia. This led to the shutdown of Foxtel Movies Disney and removal of Disney-branded titles. However, Foxtel retained rights to films from Disney subsidiary 20th Century Fox and introduced Foxtel Movies Kids. Additional adjustments included renaming channels (Masterpiece became Drama; More was rebranded as Hits) and launching Foxtel Movies UltraHD for 4K content viewing.
Concurrently, Foxtel secured a fresh output deal with NBCUniversal, gaining premiere subscription rights for Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation films.
On 1 September 2020, Foxtel rolled out an Australian iteration of the Lifetime Movie Network.
In October 2021, Foxtel entered into a new output arrangement with ViacomCBS, obtaining library and premiere access to content from ViacomCBS subsidiary Paramount Pictures.
Channels
Foxtel Movies delivers 11 themed channels, each broadcast in HD simulcast format. Three channels (Premiere, Action, Family) also offer a two-hour SD timeshift option. Additionally, there is one UHDTV channel available. The channel lineup sorted by LCN is:
- UltraHD: Showcases ultra-high-definition movies spanning all genres.
- Premiere: The flagship channel featuring recent Hollywood releases alongside select Australian films.
- Hits: Hosts popular franchise movies across various categories; also serves as the platform for pop-up channels.
- Family: Dedicated to family-oriented and children’s movies.
- Action: Concentrates on action-adventure and sci-fi titles.
- Comedy: Focused on comedic films.
- Romance: Features romantic dramas and romantic comedies.
- Drama: Showcases dramatic storytelling films.
- Greats: Presents critically acclaimed movies across multiple genres.
- Lifetime Movie Network: Centres on drama films that highlight women’s narratives.
Pop-up channels
Foxtel Movies frequently introduces temporary movie channels designed to enhance audience interaction.
During the summer of 2015/16, two pop-up channels—Best of 2015 (December 19–31), which showcased the year's most acclaimed films, and Heroes (January 1–10), highlighting superhero and action movies with actor Chris Hemsworth as the promotional figure—achieved strong ratings. This success prompted an increase in the frequency of such pop-up events.
Key examples of these pop-up channels include:
- Easter 2016: A marathon featuring the entire Harry Potter film series.
- July 2016: Comprehensive screenings of all seven The Fast and the Furious movies alongside all twelve Star Trek films.
- September to October 2016: A Star Wars marathon presenting seven movies, complemented by a Halloween special dedicated to A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- December 2016: Holiday-themed programming titled 12 Days of Christmas and a Best of 2016 selection spotlighting major releases such as Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, and Jurassic World.
- January 2017: A subsequent Star Wars marathon coinciding with the passing of actress Carrie Fisher.
- January 2017: The Resident Evil series aired in conjunction with its final film launch and the Australia Day holiday.
- February 2017: A Batman vs Superman event featuring a collection of fourteen Batman and Superman titles.
- March 2017: A dedicated Arnold Schwarzenegger channel presenting nineteen of his films during his visit to Australia.
- April 2017: An X-Men series marathon over the Easter weekend.
- May 2017: A marathon of the Alien vs. Predator franchise timed with the release of Alien: Covenant.
- January 2018: A tribute channel honoring Heath Ledger on the tenth anniversary of his death.
These themed pop-up channels are carefully scheduled to coincide with holidays, film premieres, or significant occasions to encourage subscription growth and maintain viewer loyalty.