Lovefilm buys right to stream Sony Pictures content

The tit-for-tat announcements from Lovefilm and Netflix continue as the arrival in the UK of the US streaming giant and the biggest threat to the Amazon-owned incumbent gets closer.

Yesterday, Netflix said it would offer subscribers BBC shows. Today, Lovefilm said it has persuaded Sony Pictures Entertainment to let it stream the studio's movies - though not until June 2012.

Among the films included in the deal: The Social Network, Salt and - appropriately perhaps - 2012.

The deal also covers Transformers and Spectacular Spider-Man cartoons, and kids flicks like The Karate Kid.

Lovefilm said it will get exclusive rights to stream Arthur Christmas.

Lovefilm's streaming service allows subscribers who have signed up for its unlimited disc rental packages to view TV and film content for free on a variety of platforms.

The service needs to ramp up the range of titles it offers as streams. Today, far more material is available on DVD and/or Blu-ray than as a stream. ®