TNT To Air ‘Star Wars’ Marathon: Turner Wins Airing Rights To 11 ‘Star Wars’ Films
Love Star Wars? Then you’ll be able to get your fill and then some in the coming weeks. TNT has announced today through a press release that they will air the original six Star Wars films on the network from September 20-25, with more to come in the coming months.
Turner, the parent company of cable channels TNT and TBS, announced that they have secured the rights to air 11 Star Wars movies, including the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is set to arrive in theaters this December.
Turner scores major #StarWars deal to air all 11 movies https://t.co/uFT39E6RCo pic.twitter.com/ImhgEnhH5S
— Zesty TV News (@zesty_tv) September 14, 2016
The ink has barely dried on the multi-year licensing agreement with Walt Disney Studios and 20th Century Fox, and Turner is wasting no time taking advantage of this new-found ratings goldmine. With Disney’s agreement, Turner has been given the golden ticket to air television premieres of the next three yet-to-be-released Star Wars films.
“The Star Wars movies and characters are beloved across generations, captivating audiences and breaking box office records around the globe for nearly four decades,” explained Deborah K. Bradley, the executive vice president of networks optimization, content strategy and commercialization for Turner. “Through this deal, TNT and TBS will be the exclusive basic cable home of one of the most iconic, enduring and valuable movie franchises of all time, giving viewers the chance to watch this amazing collection from the very beginning.”
“Turner has been laser focused on making its channels more valuable to consumers and pay-TV distributors by developing new original dramas and comedies,” wrote Meg James from the Los Angeles Times. “The network group hopes to remain relevant amid dramatic shifts in viewer behavior. However, the licensing deal… underscores how cable channels like TNT and TBS continue to depend heavily on Hollywood blockbusters to bolster their viewership.”
In addition to next week’s marathon, TNT will hold a second marathon in December in conjunction with Disney’s release of Rogue One. TNT has plans to air Star Wars: The Force Awakens in early 2018, with Rogue One airing in 2019.
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The TNT Star Wars marathon begins next week. Here is the complete schedule of airings over the six nights. If you can’t watch them all, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Tuesday, September 20
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
- 11 p.m. – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Wednesday, September 21
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
- 11:05 p.m. – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
Thursday, September 22
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
- 11:05 p.m. – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Friday, September 23
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: A New Hope
- 10:45 p.m. – Star Wars: A New Hope
Saturday, September 24
- 10:45 a.m. – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
- 1:45 p.m. – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
- 4:55 p.m. – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- 10:45 p.m. – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Sunday, September 25
- 5:15 a.m. – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
- 8:15 a.m. – Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
- 11:20 a.m. – Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
- 2:25 p.m. – Star Wars: A New Hope
- 5:10 p.m. – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- 8 p.m. – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- 11 p.m. – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- 2 a.m. – Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
[Featured Image by: Hulton Archive/Getty Images]
