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Echoing the move by Sky to enter the day-and-date VOD market, Rakuten TV have announced the launch of its new project: Rakuten Cinema. The VOD company enters for the first time in the co-production and distribution field, with a distribution model based on a simultaneous theatrical and VOD release and empowering independent producers to stand head-to-head with their Hollywood counterparts.

As its first feature, Rakuten TV has selected Kaleidoscope Entertainment’s World War II action thriller, Hurricane – starring Iwan Rheon, Milo Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) and Marcin Dorocinski. From BAFTA winning director, David Blair, Hurricane is produced by Krystian Kozlowski of Prospect 3, Matt Whyte of Stray Dogs Films and Lipsync Productions. Hurricane will be released in cinemas and digital VoD platforms in the UK simultaneously this Autumn, and tells the heroic true story of a group of crack Polish fighter pilots who helped defend British shores during the Battle of Britain.

Second World War pilot thriller to be company’s first UK theatrical release.

European VoD service Rakuten TV, which is owned by Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, is making a play into UK distribution with the day-and-date release of Second World War thriller Hurricane.

The online outfit is partnering with UK sales agent and distributor Kaleidoscope Entertainment on the film, which will see it receive a simultaneous theatrical and VoD release in the UK in autumn 2018.

Hurricane stars Iwan Rheon (Game Of Thrones), Milo Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) and Marcin Dorocinski (Anthropoid) in the story of Polish fighter pilots defending UK shores during the Battle Of Britain.

Rakuten TV is making a major movie play in Europe, and will invest millions of Euros into production this year and next. The streamer is on a mission to crunch release windows and the first project it has invested in is “Hurricane.” The World War II action thriller has “Game of Thrones” star Iwan Rheon, and Milo Gibson, who starred in “Hacksaw Ridge.” It will launch on Rakuten TV and in movie theaters in the U.K. on the same date in September.

Rakuten TV, which launched as Wuaki.tv and rebranded after being acquired by Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten, has partnered with Kaleidoscope Entertainment on “Hurricane.” The streaming and download service will also release a yet-to-be-announced Spanish movie this year, and is working up a slate of up to five films from different European territories for 2019.

The plan, company founder and CEO Jacinto Roca told Variety, is to coproduce,...