Netflix signs Miramax to stream titles in UK & Ireland

The deal follows several other Netflix/Miramax pacts made this year

 Miramax is following Netflix overseas.  The two companies announced Wednesday that Miramax has signed on to stream certain titles via Netflix in the UK and Ireland.  The terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.

The deal follows on the heels of similar Netflix/Miramax deals made earlier this year.  Miramax first partnered with Netflix to stream titles in the U.S. back in May, marking a first for both companies: it was the first time Netflix was able to stream Miramax titles, and it was the first time that Miramax had made its titles available via a digital subscription service.

Following that deal, Miramax also partnered with Netflix on its Latin American rollout in September.  Prior to its partnership with Netflix, Miramax signed deals with iTunes, Amazon’s Video on Demand, and BestBuy’s CinemaNow.  Miramax has also inked a deal with Hulu.

Among the titles that will be available to subscribers in the UK and Ireland are "The Aviator," "Bad Santa," "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," "Chocolat," "Finding Neverland," "Gangs of New York," "The Hours," "Kate & Leopold," "Rounders," "Sling Blade," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and more.

With 51 million Web users in the UK and three million in Ireland, Netflix has the opportunity to claim a nice little nest egg of potential subscribers.  But Netflix will need all the leverage it can get to compete for subscribers in the UK, where Amazon’s Lovefilm has already established a loyal following. 

Lovefilm, which was acquired by Amazon for $317 million in January, currently lays claim to 1.7 million members throughout the UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.  By comparison, Netflix has more than 20 million subscribers in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.

There was hint of a possible Netflix expansion into Spain as well, but Netflix has kept mum on that front. 

Earlier this month, Netflix also signed MGM to bring more streaming titles to the UK and Ireland.

Netflix stock was down more than 4% Wednesday afternoon to $82.