FX will pay around $47 million for five recent theatrical releases from 20th Century Fox, including DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO! and JUMPER, per VARIETY.
The other titles are WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS, 27 DRESSES and MEET THE SPARTANS. FX and Fox declined VARIETY's request for comment.
FX has a four-year license term on the package, getting 27 DRESSES and SPARTANS in mid-2010, JUMPER in fall 2010 and HORTON and VEGAS by November of that year.
FX this week also bought the rights to air Sony's HANCOCK, out Wednesday, also in 2010. FX has become Sony's most active buyer in past years, including securing the rights to Adam Sandler's YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN last week for about $11M.
FX has in the past focused on male-oriented action thrillers to complement its array of original series such as RESCUE ME. It has branched out recently to other genres to get films that work with its female-skewed shows like NIP/TUCK and DAMAGES.
FX plans to use HORTON along with previous buys ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS and the two ICE AGE films to play during holidays and summertime when kids are out of school.
But actioners like JUMPER and other recent buys IRON MAN, THE INCREDIBLE HULK and HELLBOY 2 are important to FX's identity as well.
Before HORTON and the other four films play on FX, they will have an exclusive 18-month pay-TV window on HBO as a part of that network's deal with Fox.
