Watch Out, Netflix: MUBI Expanding SVOD Streaming Service to China

Since its inception back in 2007, MUBI has carved out a niche for itself as a go-to indie streaming service and a steadily rising distributor and exhibitor of art house cinema. This was particularly the case when they obtained the exclusive rights to the recent Paul Thomas Anderson doc “Junun” last fall. The new year, however, will see the company expand in bold new ways by bringing its services to China in a new joint venture.

Huanxi Media Group, owned by Asian film producer Dong Ping, is investing $40 million in MUBI China. In a release announcing the venture, Ping noted, “As China’s movie market grows rapidly, the online video and movie sector is also expanding quickly. As a result, there is a growing demand by Chinese audiences for quality content online. Our Joint Venture with MUBI would allow us to combine our deep expertise in creating, acquiring original, event-driven content in China with MUBI’s powerful, user-friendly platform.”

The new is a big move for MUBI, and it comes on the heels of Netflix’s announcement last week that it was expanding to 130 countries around the globe. Surprisingly, Netflix is still not offered in China, making the MUBI expansion into a territory a big move from the up-and-coming platform.

When launched in China, the popular SVOD model is set to boast the same consumer value proposition as it does internationally. Currently, MUBI introduces one film each day, available for 30 days and accessible across multiple devices, via a monthly or yearly subscription. Visit the MUBI website for more information.

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