MUMBAI: Warner Bros. International Television Distribution and HBO have signed a multi-year deal to be the initial suppliers of programming to France Telecom Orange’s just-announced multi-platform pay television service.

The announcement was made by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution president Jeffrey Schlesinger and HBO president, programming sales Charles Schreger.

Under the terms of the deal, a wide variety of programming from both companies will be made available across a number of platforms. From WBITD, Orange has acquired the rights to all of Warner Bros.’ current and upcoming feature films (Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Ocean’s 13, I am Legend, The Dark Knight), as well as select titles from the studio’s extensive feature and television library. In HBO’s first-ever output deal in France, Orange has acquired rights to HBO series, films and miniseries, including the acclaimed miniseries John Adams, the upcoming Alan Ball series’ True Blood, and David Simon’s miniseries Generation Kill, as well as select documentaries and library titles. Warner Bros. and HBO are both Time Warner companies.

As announced by Orange at MIPTV, this new service is expected to be available to consumers in the fourth quarter of 2008.

“Orange has been a great partner to us since we signed their very first VOD deal some four years ago. The deal we’ve announced today will help Orange provide consumers with more choices and greater access to world-class programming and we’re proud to be a part of that,” said Schlesinger.

“We are particularly proud to have signed this important deal that will offer consumers broad access to our product while spreading and reinforcing the digital services offering in the French market,” said Warner Bros. France président-directeur general Iris Knobloch.