Add Category
Later this year, Stan will launch Bloom, a six-part mystery set in the aftermath of a devastating country flood that killed five people. As the locals rebuild, they discover a mysterious new plant with the power to restore their youth. But it's a miracle some will kill for.
Made by local outfit Playmaker in partnership with Sony Pictures Television, Bloom will be distributed internationally by Sony.
Following the success of its Australian comedy series No Activity, Stan has also commissioned a Christmas special. Called No Activity: The Night Before Christmas, it follows detectives Hendy and Stokes as they monitor a hostage situation - helmed by a disgruntled Santa - from a shopping mall car park.
The controversial 1992 film Romper Stomper became a six-part series.
Photo: StanNew output arrangements with US studios MGM and Lionsgate will deliver more exclusive international content to Stan. From MGM comes murder mystery The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair; thriller series Condor, and dark comedy Get Shorty. The Lionsgate deal includes Sweetbitter, Vida, Wrong Man, The Rook, The White Queen and The White Princess.
These announcements reflect an intensified rivalry among streaming platforms.
When Netflix launched as a DVD mail service in the US, in 1998, it was essentially a giant video store. Apart from the convenience of home-delivered discs, its appeal lay in the breadth of its catalogue: a seemingly endless selection of old and new movies.
By the time Netflix arrived in Australia, in 2015, it had morphed into an online streaming service, wooing customers with original titles such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Since 2010, it has trimmed more than 2000 movies from its catalogue - while diverting that money (and a whole lot more) into original and exclusive content.
Comedian Matt Okine wrote and starred in The Other Guy.
Photo: StanStan employed a similar strategy from the get-go, but with a twist: it made Australian content a point of difference.
Since its 2015 launch, Stan has released award-winning drama Wolf Creek, based upon the successful film of the same name; Romper Stomper, a six-part sequel to the 1992 film, and The Other Guy, a comedy series written by Matt Okine.
While Netflix and Stan continue to grow, other local outfits - including EzyFlix and Presto - have closed, with the latter rolled into Foxtel's online offering.
"Today’s [1-million] subscriber milestone is a great indication of how quickly Aussies are changing their TV viewing habits," said Stan CEO Mike Sneesby.
Stan is a joint venture between the Nine Entertainment Company and Fairfax Media.
Michael Lallo is a Senior Entertainment Writer for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. Michael joined Fairfax Media in 2006 as a feature writer. He has also been a news reporter for The Sunday Age, a deputy editor of Green Guide and a columnist and critic.
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.