Star Wars: The Force Awakens to Stream on Netflix in Canada

Netflix has different licensing deals in each country, with differences even between local "neighbors" like the US and Canada. That's why, as of right now, Canada will be able to stream Star Wars: The Force Awakens at some point in 2016, while no other country or territory has that bragging right just yet.

Disney's exclusive deal with Starz, which ends when this year does, covers all their 2015 releases, including The Force Awakens, so Starz, who recently ended their streaming deal with Netflix US, will have the pay-TV coverage of the film, preventing it from hitting Netflix in the same window that it will hit Canada - "approximately eight months after the movie leaves theaters," Variety reports.

Netflix is increasingly trying to obtain worldwide rights when securing deals, and is leading the charge with their own content. Their joint production with Marvel Studios, Jessica Jones, for instance, launches simultaneously world wide next month. They are in talks with Disney about licensing and streaming the first six Star Wars episodic films, and the agreement that starts in 2016 presumably covers future films starting with Rogue One: A Star Wars story, a December, 2016 release.