Reliance’s entertainment unit has secured a deal with The Pokemon Company. The deal will offer programs and movies for kids on its platform. According to two individuals with knowledge of the agreement, the company’s latest move will bolster content amid a domestic rivalry with Walt Disney Co. and other streaming services.
According to sources, the agreement took place this month. It will make JioCinema’s streaming app the “exclusive” India platform partner for more than 1,000 episodes and about 20 movies of the Japanese anime series.
According to the source, the shows and movies would be dubbed into three Indian languages to increase their reach. Pokemon has produced a multibillion-dollar global media empire that includes trading cards, games, TV series, and movies.
Viacom18 is an entertainment joint venture of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. It operates JioCinema. Both Viacom18 and The Pokemon corporation, controlled by video game corporation Nintendo and affiliates, did not respond to requests for comment.
This is Ambani’s newest drive to expand in the Indian streaming market. Ambani has recently taken on Disney’s Hotstar app, with both allowing free streaming of cricket matches.
According to the sources, JioCinema would add over 3,000 hours of children’s entertainment. This includes movies and shows from Entertainment One, Animaccord, Cartoon Network Studios, and DreamWorks.
They said that the additions would come from Viacom18’s existing content arrangements. Or integration with its other streaming service, Voot Kids, which has since closed. Some Pokemon content was previously available on Voot, but the new JioCinema agreement is a “much larger partnership,” according to sources.
According to Reuters, NBCUniversal announced in May a multi-year agreement with JioCinema that included “kids and family programming,” including DreamWorks property. Requests for comment were not returned by Entertainment One, Animaccord, or Cartoon Network Studios.
Viacom18 also announced a partnership with Warner Bros Discovery Inc. in April. It will provide additional Hollywood and foreign programming to JioCinema, including smash series “Succession” and “Game of Thrones.”