Hulu inks multi-year content licensing deal with Turner Broadcasting

Hulu, under a new deal with Turner Broadcasting, will become the exclusive subscription video on-demand home to programming from Adult Swim and Cartoon Network, as well as select series from TNT and TBS.

The deal, announced Thursday, marks the first-ever licensing agreement between Turner Broadcasting and Hulu.

All episodes from past seasons of popular Adult Swim original series including “Rick and Morty,” “Black Jesus,” NTSF: SD: SUV,” as well as Cartoon Network originals such as “The Amazing World of Gumball,” “Steven Universe,” “Over the Garden Wall,” and “Clarence” will be available to stream on the SVOD service. Cartoon Network series will be available to stream commercial-free in the Hulu Kids section of Hulu Plus.

Craig Erwich, senior vice president and head of content at Hulu, cited the Cartoon Network acquisitions as a “significant step forward in continuing to build a strong offering for the kids audience on Hulu.”

Also included in the deal are all episodes from previous seasons of TNT dramas “The Last Ship” and “Murder in the First.”

Full prior seasons of Adult Swim and Cartoon Network series such as “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Ben 10,” as well as current juggernauts “Robot Chicken,” “The Venture Bros.,” “Adventure Time” and “Regular Show” will also be available to stream exclusively to Hulu subscribers.

The deal involves going through the vault too. Hulu will become the exclusive SVOD destination to stream Adult Swim and Cartoon Network classics, including “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,” “Great Job!,” “Sealab 2021,” and “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.”

The deal also includes exclusive rights to “certain” future series on all four networks, including TBS’ upcoming Rashida Jones police comedy “Angie Tribeca” after its full-season run on the cable network.

Financial terms of the Hulu-Turner deal were not disclosed.

In his statement about the pact, Turner Broadcasting President David Levy noted the potential the partnership could have in exposing programming from some of its networks to more eyeballs.

“This is a great opportunity to grow the reach of the networks’ original programming and complements our strategy of utilizing multiple platforms — including SVOD — to drive sampling, introduce new viewers to our content and give current fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy Turner’s new and existing series in a branded environment,” he said.

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