Movistar Plus+

Overview

Movistar Plus+ is Spain's largest pay-television and streaming service, operated by Telefónica and launched in its current form in 2015 following the merger of Canal+ España and Movistar TV. As of Q1 2026, the platform reached 3.88 million subscribers across IPTV and OTT services, up from 3.79 million at the end of 2025. The platform added 278,000 net subscribers in 2025 (a 7.9% year-over-year growth rate, nearly triple the 94,000 added in 2024), and added another 86,000 in Q1 2026 alone, marking its eleventh consecutive quarter of growth. CEO Daniel Domenjó attributed the growth to "the best content, live sport, and Spanish creative talent."

Movistar Plus+ combines Hollywood studio output deals, original Spanish-language productions, and curated arthouse and international cinema programming. The platform operates as Spain's equivalent of Canal+ in France: a premium pay-television broadcaster with significant film investment alongside entertainment programming. The platform won 25 Goya awards at the most recent ceremony, including awards for the original production Los Domingos.

Original Film Production Strategy

Movistar Plus+ operates a boutique original film production division led by Guillermo Farre, Director of Original Film and Spanish Cinema. The platform commissions and co-produces Spanish and Latin American films that debut in theatres before streaming on Movistar Plus+ approximately four months later. Farre has stated that the theatrical release strategy is data-driven rather than sentimental: "We see the data. When a film performs in theaters, it has a direct effect on how it performs on Movistar Plus+. It's crystal clear that there is no cannibalisation. It's the other way around."

The platform acquires approximately 40 titles per year for its Spanish cinema offering, with many ranking among the platform's most-watched films. Original productions are positioned as boutique rather than high-volume, with Farre describing the approach as "more boutique, the theatrical experience is the key thing that starts everything."

2025-2026 Original Film Slate

Movistar Plus+ presented six original film projects in 2025, with releases continuing into 2026 and 2027:

• Sirat (Oliver Laxe, co-written with Santiago Fillol): Co-produced with El Deseo, Filmes Da Ermida, Uri Films, and 4A4 Productions. Spanish theatrical release via Bteam Pictures. International sales via The Match Factory.
• Los Tigres (Alberto Rodriguez, co-written with Rafael Cobos): Starring Antonio de la Torre and Barbara Lennie. Co-produced with Kowalski Films, Feelgood Media, Mazagon Films AIE, and Le Pacte (France). Spanish theatrical release via Buena Vista International. International sales via Film Factory. Won the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography at San Sebastian, the Acento Prize for Best Spanish Direction at Huelva, and the ASECAN Direction award. Received 7 Goya 2026 nominations. Released on Movistar Plus+ February 20, 2026.
• El Ser Querido (Rodrigo Sorogoyen, co-written with Isabel Pena): Starring Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo. Premiered in Competition at Cannes. Spanish theatrical release August 26, 2026, distributed by A Contracorriente Films. Co-produced with Caballo Films and El Ser Querido AIE, with Le Pacte (France) and Canal+. International sales via Goodfellas.
• Los Domingos (Alauda Ruiz de Azua): Starring Blanca Soroa, Patricia Lopez Arnaiz, Miguel Garces, and Juan Minujin. Co-produced with Buenapinta Media, Colose Producciones, Sayaka Producciones, Encanta Films, and Think Studio, with Le Pacte (France). Released theatrically in 2025, streaming premiere on Movistar Plus+ in 2026.
• Cinco Minutos Mas (Berto Romero, directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera): Part of the 2025 production slate.
• La Bola Negra (Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known as Los Javis): Described by Farre as "generational talents" and "visionaries." Details announced at Cannes 2025.

Upcoming Productions

In February 2026, Movistar Plus+ began filming Caza Mayor, directed by Daniel Sanchez Arevalo, starring Antonio de la Torre, Marilo Marquez Villa, and Julian Villagran. A rural thriller with black comedy elements, shooting over seven weeks in Extremadura (Fregenal de la Sierra, Bodonal de la Sierra, and Zafra, Badajoz). The film is an adaptation of the podcast El Tigre, winner of the 2025 Ondas Award for Best Fiction Podcast. Theatrical release planned for 2027 via Warner Bros. Pictures Spain, with international sales via Film Factory.

Theatrical Distribution Partnerships

Movistar Plus+ does not operate its own theatrical distribution arm. Instead, the platform partners with established Spanish theatrical distributors for cinema releases of its original films:

• A Contracorriente Films: Handling El Ser Querido (August 2026)
• Buena Vista International: Handling Los Tigres
• Bteam Pictures: Handling Sirat
• Warner Bros. Pictures Spain: Handling Caza Mayor (2027)

This model means that Movistar Plus+ original films receive proper theatrical campaigns through specialised distributors, with the platform retaining the streaming premiere after the four-month theatrical window. The platform also partners with international sales agents (The Match Factory, Film Factory, Goodfellas) to handle world sales for its original productions, giving Spanish-language films access to international distribution markets.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Spanish and Latin American filmmakers, Movistar Plus+ is one of the most significant domestic financing sources for Spanish-language cinema. The platform's commitment to original film was reaffirmed in 2025 by Guillermo Farre following the departure of Domingo Corral (Director of Fiction and Entertainment), which had caused concern in the Spanish industry. Almost 150 Spanish industry figures, including Pedro Almodovar, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz, signed an open letter asking for the platform's film investment to continue. Farre confirmed: "The goal is clear, the direction of what Domingo started works on many different levels."

Movistar Plus+ represents a co-production and pre-sale target for projects with both streaming potential and theatrical ambitions. The platform works with established Spanish directors and producers (El Deseo, Caballo Films, Kowalski Films, Buenapinta Media) rather than open submissions. Filmmakers should approach Movistar Plus+ through a producer with an existing relationship with the platform's original content team.

For international filmmakers seeking Spanish streaming distribution, Movistar Plus+ licensing through international sales agents is the standard pathway. The platform's relationships with major Hollywood studios and international distributors cover mainstream and prestige international content. The platform's subscriber base of 3.88 million makes it the largest Spanish-language SVOD platform operated from Spain, giving licensed content meaningful audience reach in the Spanish market.

Filmmakers should understand that Movistar Plus+ original films are not streaming exclusives that bypass theatres. The four-month theatrical window is a deliberate business strategy, not a contractual obligation imposed by external parties. This means that a Movistar Plus+ co-production deal includes theatrical distribution through a partner distributor, festival premiere potential (Cannes, San Sebastian, Venice), and international sales representation. The platform's willingness to work with sales agents like The Match Factory, Film Factory, and Goodfellas means that original films can travel beyond Spanish-speaking territories.

The platform does not publicly disclose co-production budgets, MG ranges, or licensing fees. Filmmakers should approach through established producers or sales agents with relationships in the Spanish market. The platform's co-production model typically involves Movistar Plus+ as the primary financier, with theatrical distribution handled by a partner, international sales by a specialist agent, and co-production partners in France (Le Pacte is a frequent partner) and other European territories.

See Also

For Spanish theatrical distribution alongside streaming, see Golem Distribucion and Avalon Distribucion in this directory. For how Spanish broadcaster co-financing fits into production funding, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue from a theatrical-plus-streaming release strategy in the Spanish market, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For understanding how streaming licensing fees compare to theatrical revenue in European markets, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue.