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Apple Reportedly Plans to Spend a Billion Dollars per Year on Movies

The reported increase in spending would let Apple partner with studios for distribution in theaters and raise the profile of Apple TV Plus.

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Andrew Blok has been an editor at CNET covering HVAC and home energy, with a focus on solar, since October 2021. As an environmental journalist, he navigates the changing energy landscape to help people make smart energy decisions. He's a graduate of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State and has written for several publications in the Great Lakes region, including Great Lakes Now and Environmental Health News, since 2019. You can find him in western Michigan watching birds.
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Apple TV Plus movies and TV shows

Apple reportedly wants to bring more movies to theaters.

James Martin/CNET

Apple plans to spend a billion dollars a year on its movie business, expanding the number and duration of theatrical releases, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The increased budget is an attempt to raise Apple's Hollywood reputation and attract new subscribers to its streaming service, Apple TV Plus, according to Bloomberg's sources.

The report comes as movie theaters recover from closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and after 2022 saw several summer blockbusters draw huge crowds.

Apple hasn't had many major theatrical releases, though its movies have gained critical acclaim. It acquired CODA, eventual Oscar-winner for best picture last year. Meanwhile, Apple TV Plus has fewer subscribers than streaming giants like Netflix, despite the mega-hit comedy Ted Lasso and other acclaimed shows, like Severance.

Apple TV Plus costs $7 a month, making it the lowest priced ad-free premium streaming service

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.