Lionsgate’s Starzplay streaming service has officially been renamed Lionsgate Plus (stylized as Lionsgate +) in 35 territories around the world.
The platform will retain its current Starz title in the US and Canada – and will remain as Starzplay Arabia and Lionsgate Play in the Arab and Southeast Asian countries respectively – although these versions will also benefit from new design elements and an updated art pack.
Despite rumors suggesting Lionsgate is looking to sell its Starz stake, the company says Starzplay’s rebranding internationally aims to make the service stand out in the crowded streaming market.
Welcome to LIONSGATE + 😏 #LionsgatePlus pic.twitter.com/M1CL39hkSuSeptember 28, 2022
“Working internationally with Lionsgate Plus provides a clear and differentiated identity in an increasingly crowded international marketplace and builds on the brand value of the Lionsgate brand, which our extensive research has shown to be strong around the world.” – Jeffrey Hirsch, President and Starz CEO, said in a statement.
“Even after the separation of Starz and Lionsgate Studios, the Lionsgate brand will continue to be valuable to the continued success of our international platform.”
Following the rebranding, Lionsgate Plus joins several other major streaming services that now have the “Plus” affix: Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, and Paramount Plus to name the top three.
Apparently, Lionsgate believes its mission to bring “distinct and differentiated identity” to the streaming service is better served by the Lionsgate Plus name, unlike Starzplay, although some consumers have expressed confusion about the move:
Me: “Starzplay”. What a horrible name for a streaming service, “Starzplay.” They really couldn’t have come up with a worse name than this .tarzplay: pic.twitter.com/YcZ99q0zbXSeptember 28, 2022
Granted, Starzplay wasn’t a great name to start with – but while Lionsgate Plus is certainly a more unified title (due to competition), it’s not exactly “clear and varied” in 2022.
Rebranding also risks leaving those unaware that Lionsgate Plus is an entirely separate entity from Starz – despite the two platforms sharing the same content (which includes programs like Outlander, Power, and Gaslit).
Lionsgate isn’t the only studio to fall into the “Plus” honey trap. Epix, MGM’s premium cable network, was recently renamed MGM Plus (stylized as MGM +) following Amazon’s high-profile acquisition of James Bond manufacturing company in 2021.
For more on the latest streaming news, check out our report on Netflix’s bold new plan to get you involved in video games, and our in-depth coverage of production issues affecting the upcoming Marvel Blade movie.