What to expect from PLDT Home and Lionsgate partnership
The newly-forged exclusive partnership between PLDT Home and Lionsgate Play is expected to give Filipinos more access to blockbuster movies, not only in cinemas, but also in the comfort of their homes.
This was expounded on by PLDT Home senior vice president and head of Consumer Business-Home Group Jeremiah de la Cruz during the media launch event held recently in Pasay City.
“It’s the first time we’ll actually bring content directly from cinemas straight into your home. That’s mind-blowing,” he announced. “What that means is when Lionsgate actually does a release for a new title, you may have traditionally gone into a cinema, you bought your tickets, you bought some popcorn and gonna sit there. But now, with Lionsgate Play and PLDT Home, you can actually invite your friends over to your house and watch it directly from your home.”
Lionsgate is a leading Hollywood studio that has created and distributed some of the world’s biggest properties, including the blockbuster film franchises The Hunger Games, Twilight Saga, John Wick and Saw; and the television series Mad Men. The entertainment company’s streaming platform Lionsgate Play expanded through the South and Southeast Asia regions. It was launched in India two years ago, then Indonesia and Malaysia and now the Philippines.
According to Jeremiah, PLDT Home ”goes beyond connectivity,” they are also keen on exploring the entertainment sector.
Noting the importance of internet connectivity during the pandemic, he said, “It’s almost more important than water and electricity. And so at PLDT Home, we (are) so focused and so driven about making sure we connect up as many homes, as many families, as many people to the fastest broadband in the country.”
“But with the changing needs and the landscape changing, what’s important for us is to continue with that change because it’s not just about connectivity but it’s actually going beyond connectivity. It’s like making sure that we provide our customers with more than just being connected,” he added.
The exclusive partnership has been in the works for some time, Jeremiah disclosed. It was during the pandemic that they saw its potential. He told The STAR, “The pandemic has changed the way we behave. Once upon a time, we all would be out on a Friday night or a Saturday or a Sunday. The pandemic changed a lot of that. All of a sudden, the entertainment was actually happening within the home and interaction was happening with each other, each family member, friends all online.”
He furthered, “So we saw that it was really important that we continue to expand out all the different types of content choices, entertainment choices that all our customers had. So this is really one of those options that we want to make available to all of the PLDT home customers.”
Jeremiah added that they are “willing to pursue, build up our capability in the entertainment side” and the partnership with Lionsgate Play was an “actual fit.”
“We’re really excited with the partnership because this is the partnership where you will be able to take content directly from the box-office straight into your living room, straight into your bedroom, straight to every home in the Philippines,” he reiterated.
As per media release, the service is available to all existing and new customers of PLDT Home Fiber Plans 1699 and up. They will be given exclusive access to Lionsgate Play without the additional charges until June 1, 2023.
Lionsgate Philippines general manager Cecilia Marino specifically mentioned that their target audiences are the urban millennials and millennials-at-heart.
“We create stories that are multidimensional. What I mean is, when you watch it, there’s an array of emotions that comes out, it can be love, hate, ecstasy, guilt, relief, insecurity, anxiety, lahat-lahat na. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions,” she shared.
She described Lionsgate content as “sensational, quirky and surprising.”
Citing Julia Roberts’ Gaslit, she said, “So, we really have unique stories and not only that, I think we are the only one (that is) irreverent in terms of laying down our content. I don’t think you’ll hear other streamers talk about content curation. So, it’s not only art that we create right, you can curate content. We really take seriously our mantra, ‘Playing more, browse less.’”
“So we don’t want you to browse for an hour and not choose anything. We have over 17,000 titles in our library. We carefully select those programs that we think can capture you and your interest. So that’s what we always think about,” she added.
Gaslit is a series about the Watergate scandal which premiered last month.
“We think that PLDT is a natural fit because PLDT is not only the first and largest telco in the Philippines, it also boasts the fastest broadband speed,” she said on why Lionsgate chose the telco company.
Among the content available in the country are the American crime-drama Power and Bruce Willis’ Apex.
Becoming Elizabeth, a series which chronicles Elizabeth I’s rise to power and all the intrigue and betrayal that came with becoming the Virgin Queen, just had its global premiere on the platform.
Meanwhile, Miss Universe 2020 Top 21 finalist Rabiya Mateo, Miss Universe Philippines 2020 fourth runner-up Billie Hakenson and Miss Globe 2021 Maureen Montagne were spotted at the media event.
Duo Marxx and Alwyn and rock band Franco gave an electrifying performance during the media night.
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