DAVID GREENE, HOST: NPR's business news begins with a new name in Hollywood.</s>DAVID GREENE, HOST: Satellite TV operator DirecTV has signed a $40 million deal with independent film studio A24 Inc. to help finance new movies. In return, DirecTV gets exclusive rights to air the indie films on-demand for 30 days before they hit theaters.</s>DAVID GREENE, HOST: A24's biggest hit to date is the James Franco film "Spring Breakers," which made over $14 million domestically. The catch though, major theater chains, like Regal and AMC, will not show films that have previously released as video on-demand.
The satellite TV operator has signed a $40 million deal with independent film studio A24 Inc. to help finance new movies. In return, DirecTV gets exclusive rights to air the indie films on-demand for 30 days before they hit theaters.