Netflix to stream Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Canada and nowhere else - Action News
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Netflix to stream Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Canada and nowhere else

Netflix has confirmed that Canada alone has secured streaming rights for the hotly-anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII.

Netflix has confirmed that Canada is its only market with streaming rights for Star Wars: Episode VII in 2016

U.S. Netflix subscribers may feel a bit jealous of Canadians for a change when the hotly-anticipated new Star Wars film goes from theatres to streaming. (Star Wars/Disney)

Turned, the tables have been.

After what seems like light-yearsofgriping about the fact thatNetflixusers getmore (and sometimesbetter) titles in the U.S., Canadianswill soon have exclusive access tosomething our American friendsmight actually install a VPN for:Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

A representative fromNetflix confirmed to CBC News onSunday that Canada is its only territoryin which streaming rights for the hotly-anticipated forthcoming Star Wars film has been secured.

"The reason Netflix will be able to offer the much-anticipated movieinCanada next year and not in the U.S. or anywhere elsehas to do with thetiming of whenDisney's pay-TV distribution deals were up for grabs," reportsVariety, which broke the newsFriday.

Netflix confirmed to CBC News that Canada is its only territory with streaming rights for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. (Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)
According to Variety's report, Disney does have a content deal with Netflixin the U.S. but it won't commence until 2016. Films with theatrical debuts in 2015 stillfall under Disney'scurrent output deal withAmerican premium cable channel Starz.

Star Wars: The Force Awakensis slated to hit theatres Dec. 18 of this year, giving Starzalone the exclusive rights to stream it in theU.S.

Canada, on the other hand, boasts a slightlydifferent situation.

"Fortuitously for NetflixCanada subs, the company's deal with Disneystarted with2015releases after the previous agreements for thepay-TVwindow with Corus Entertainment and Bell Canada expired," Variety explains. "Star Wars: The Force Awakensis slated tocome to the service in the country; under the terms of the deal, that will occur approximately eight months after the movie leaves theatres."

Anticipation for The Force Awakens, the seventh filminthe blockbuster Star Warsfranchise,is extremely high. To say the least.

Last week,Lucasfilm unveiled the movie's official poster and two shortteaser videos to promote a new trailer. The trailer, set to air during thehalftime segment ofMonday Night Football Oct. 19, was meant to air immediately before tickets for the theatrical release of the film went on sale.

Eager fansswarmed online ticketing sites earlier that day, however, prompting several to crash under the demand.

Vue Cinemas reported selling 10,000 tickets in just 90 minutes, while the U.K.'sPicturehousechain reported "unprecedented" demand.

Based onearly excitement over the film, it stands to reason that someU.S. Netflix subscribersmay feel a bit jealous of Canadians when it starts streaming.

Some may even attempt to subvert Netflix'sgeoblocking restrictions by making it look as though they haveCanadian I.P. addresses. Who'd havethought the day would come?

And, naturally, many Canadians are stoked to have some online content exclusivity credfor once.

For the record, Canadians can also view such unavailable-in-the-U.S. Netflixtitles asAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,Coneheads, and the originalAir Bud.

Sorry.