Thu Sep 26 13:00:00 UTC 2024: ## NBCUniversal’s Animated Films Reign Supreme on Netflix, Despite Peacock Deal

**[City, State] -** While NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock saw a surge in viewership during the summer thanks to the Olympics, it’s Netflix that is reaping the rewards of the studio’s popular animated films. Data released by Netflix reveals that six out of the top ten most-watched animated films on the platform in the first half of 2024 were produced by NBCUniversal studios, including Universal Pictures, Illumination, and DreamWorks.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” topped the list, boasting a staggering 80.3 million views on Netflix alone, making it the fifth most-viewed movie overall on the platform during that period. Other top contenders included “Minions,” “The Boss Baby,” and “Despicable Me 3,” demonstrating the enduring appeal of these franchises.

This surprising trend comes despite NBCUniversal’s 2022 agreement to give Peacock exclusive rights to its films for four months following their theatrical release. After that, animated films are licensed to Netflix for a 10-month window, before eventually returning to Peacock for another four months.

So why would NBCUniversal seemingly undermine its own platform by making its most popular animated films available on a competitor? The answer, as with many business decisions, boils down to money. Licensing deals for library titles generate significant revenue, particularly for blockbuster franchises, making it a financially advantageous move for the studio.

The deal allows Peacock to initially capture new subscribers who are eager to see the latest releases, followed by Netflix’s massive reach to further broaden the film’s audience. This multi-platform strategy aims to maximize viewership and, ultimately, profitability for NBCUniversal.

For Netflix, these licensed titles provide a valuable source of content, especially in the highly competitive children’s programming market. While the platform invests heavily in its own original programming, licensing popular animated films from other studios helps to keep its library diverse and engaging for viewers.

The success of NBCUniversal’s animated films on Netflix highlights the complex dynamics of the streaming landscape, where studios juggle their own platforms with licensing deals to maximize revenue and audience reach.

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