To help Netflix compete with pay cable movie channels, The Weinstein Company has made a deal to make some of the studio’s foreign language, documentary and other movies exclusively available to users of the on demand Internet streaming media, Slashfilm is reporting. As a result, such films as ‘The Artist,’ ‘Coriolanus’ and ‘W.E.’ will premiere on the Netflix Watch Instantly service, instead of such movie channels as HBO or Starz.

The deal was reportedly made because The Weinstein Company’s research shows that certain movies will likely perform better with Netflix subscribers, instead of on cable. However, the deal is viewed as a blow to cable company deals.

Other films making their pay TV premiere on Netflix include the Academy Award-nominated documentary ‘Undefeated,’ which was directed by Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin. The French-language World War II drama ‘Sarah’s Key,’ the French box-office record-breaker ‘The Intouchables’ and the documentary ‘Bully’ will also debut on Netflix.

Terms of the deal between The Weinstein Company and Netflix, the world’s largest movies and television subscription service, weren’t revealed. However, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, said “we couldn’t be happier to be working again with (Harvey and Bob Weinstein), who have an unmatched track record of creating critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies.”

Written by: Karen Benardello