Netflix to stream Relativity Media's new releases

Netflix has signed a deal with Relativity Media to expand its online movie streaming catalog. It seems Netflix won't have access to the studio's entire film collection, but only those that have been released on DVD for a while – or during the traditional pay TV window.

"Historically, the rights to distribute these films are pre-sold to pay TV for as long as nine years after their theatrical release," said Netflix. "Under the agreement, an increasing amount of popular contemporary movies previously encumbered by pay TV agreements with premium channels such as HBO, Showtime and Starz will become available to be streamed from Netflix months – and not years – after their release on DVD."

Relativity Media doesn't have an astronomical array of high-profile flicks, but some recent titles include Robin Hood and Get Him to the Greek. The first movies mentioned as part of the deal seem decent enough as well: The Fighter, Skyline, Season of the Witch, and Movie 43. All of those are scheduled for theatrical release later this year and the first two should be available to Netflix subscribers in early 2011.