Via Variety.com:

Turner has made a massive commitment to harness the power of the Force. The Time Warner division has struck a nine-figure deal with Disney for basic cable rights to 10 “Star Wars” movies, and it has set a separate agreement with 20th Century Fox for the original 1977 blockbuster.

The deal to make TBS and TNT the TV home of the “Star Wars” canon underscores the value of marquee film franchises at a time when networks are desperate to lock up high-end content with built-in audience appeal. The sale of the 11 movies — four of which have yet to be released — has been in the works for nearly a year. NBCUniversal’s USA Network and Fox’s FX Networks were known to have been among the contenders for the package.

The value of the deal is estimated by industry sources to be at least $250 million over a license term that runs through at least 2022, given the release schedule for the later titles. Last year’s global blockbuster “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which raked in $2 billion at the worldwide box office, is believed to have commanded a license fee of around $35 million-$40 million. The four other upcoming titles are believed to be in the same range. Turner and Disney declined to comment on financial terms of the pact.

The eye-popping “Star Wars” pact comes on the heels of Warner Bros. setting a deal with NBCUniversal cablers for the eight films in the “Harry Potter” franchise, plus the new “Fantastic Beasts” installments. That deal was also valued at more than $250 million. NBCUniversal had more incentive to spend big on “Harry Potter” because of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s hugely successful association with Universal theme parks.

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