Criterion Collection extends Hulu streaming deal

NEW YORK — The Criterion Collection and Hulu have extended their deal to keep the video platform as the exclusive streaming home of Criterion's vast library of art house films.

Terms of the deal, revealed exclusively to The Associated Press, weren't disclosed, but both Hulu and Criterion said it will run for several years.

Since 2011, Criterion Collection films have streamed exclusively on Hulu Plus, Hulu's monthly subscription streaming service. In a fractured streaming landscape, the partnership has been a rarity, making Hulu Plus the digital home to more than 800 movies in Criterion's singular collection.

For many movie buffs, the Criterion Collection is synonymous with the greatest classics of world cinema, from L'Avventura to Seven Samurai. Criterion is known for its lavish DVD and Blu-ray packages, many of which feature restorations of older films.

The Criterion-Hulu partnership is for many movie lovers the chief draw of the $7.99-a-month Hulu Plus. The service has more than 5 million members, according to Hulu. Hulu Plus is otherwise mostly driven by television content, featuring in-season shows from NBC, ABC and Fox. The audience for Criterion titles on Hulu Plus increased by more than 25 percent from 2012 to 2013, Hulu said.

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