Canal+ has threatened to reduce the amount of money it pays to fund French cinema production.
The pay-TV company pays an annual €220 million each year, which allows it to broadcast the films six months after their theatrical release. It made the threat after Disney+ secured its own deal under similar terms.
In return for increased investment, Disney will be able to broadcast its own films and other French productions on its streaming platform nine months after their theatrical release. This compares to the current 17 months.
In a statement, Disney said it was committed to “investing 25% of its annual net turnover generated in France to finance European and French cinematographic and audiovisual works”, equivalent to an annual €45 million.
The agreement attracted the wrath of Canal+ Group President Maxime Saada. Appearing before the Senate Culture Committee, he said the compensation offered by the US platform amounts to “€115 million” over three years for the financing of cinema, or “€38 million per year on average”, rather than Disney’s quoted €45 million, but in any case a distance from the €220 million paid by Canal.
“This offer (of €220 million per year) is no longer on the table today. From my point of view, it will necessarily drop, the question is by how much,” Saada told the Committee.
On Tuesday, Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati indicated that a further revision to the 2022 reforms that brought streaming services under the system. Netflix has agreed to pay on €50 million per year in return for being able to broadcast movies 15 months after release.
Canal+ launched Disney+ in the French market, but lost the streaming service from 1 January 2025.
