TV and movie binge watchers may have to adjust their expectations. Unfortunately for screen addicts everywhere, Netflix will be dropping almost 1,800 titles from their streaming library soon.
The swift elimination of such fare as the classic James Bond films and the entirety of South Park arrives on the heels of some disintegrating deals. Studios like MGM and Universal are allowing their licensing deals with the Neflix to expire — leaving fans with 1,794 fewer options.
The Case of the Disappearing Titles
The disappearance of those programs, as originally reported by Netflix watchdog site InstantWatcher, will occur sometime in May.
Fans originally speculated that the titles will be migrating over to the Warner Instant Archive Streaming Service, but Warner quickly put the kibosh on that.
The company Twittered a few days ago that such a move was never arranged, and they won’t be carrying any non-Warner Brothers films or shows anyway.
Although it’s possible that some of the defunct titles wil make their way over to the Warner site (their licensing deal with Netflix was one of the ones to expire), fans may have to make peace with the missing entertainment fare. Said a Netflix rep:
Netflix is a dynamic service, we constantly update the TV shows and movies that are available to our members. We will add more than 500 titles May 1, but we also have titles expiring, this ebb and flow happens all the time.
There you have it. According to Netflix, they’re trying to streamline their programming and give their library more focus. Love watching old MGM horror flicks from the ’60s? You might have to start making friends with iTunes.
Familiar Ground for Netflix Fans
For those closely monitoring the magical world of streaming movies and television, the removal of thousands of titles is hardly unusual. Because the content on streaming sites like Netflix depends on licensing deals, sudden changes in the entertainment marketplace can lead to dramatic changes in an online film library.
An expired licensing deal eliminates a lot of Netflix selections.
For example, Netflix fans experienced a big loss in 2012 when Starz allowed their licensing deal with Netflix to expire. Fans logged on one day to find thousands of big name titles absent, from Ratatouille to No Country for Old Men. That deal also included some Disney and Sony titles under its umbrella as well.
However, because Netflix maintains licensing deals with so many other major studios, they’re hoping avid watchers can find other popular fare and the loss won’t be strongly felt by the customer base.
What You Can Expect for the Future of Netflix
According to Netflix, brand-new features will be added soon, including the female-centric hit Bachelorette and the ever popular Hunger Games. Even as those 1,800 titles disappear, more will be added in their place — especially new releases.
For those curious about exactly which guilty pleasure they’ll be missing out on, InstantWatcher has compiled a full list of the tossed titles. Start re-planning that Friday night in bed with your computer!
So are you upset by the removal of the films without license deals? What features and television shows have you been hoping to add to your Netflix queue? Let us know in the comments!
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