Fox and HBO to Distribute, Finance Films

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., expanding under new owner Rupert Murdoch, has entered into new arrangements with pay-TV giant Home Box Office for cooperative financing and distribution of HBO-produced theatrical films, as well as showing of Fox films on HBO, the companies announced Thursday.

Fox and HBO, a subsidiary of Time Inc., did not reveal the value of the deals.

Under one agreement, Fox will distribute feature films to be produced and marketed by HBO.

Additionally, the parties agreed to co-finance production of HBO “premiere films” for pay television and other original programming. The productions will be produced or supervised by HBO, with the two companies consulting on creative aspects. Fox will have all distribution rights other than domestic pay television, which HBO will handle, the announcement said.

HBO will have non-exclusive, domestic pay-TV rights through 1988 on such Fox films as “Cocoon,” “Jewel of the Nile,” “Commando,” a large number of less-recent films and five Charlie Chaplin classics.