The long-awaited local launch of the TV and film streaming service Netflix has been confirmed for March 24.
The US-owned Netflix will launch its Australian and New Zealand services on the same day.
Its flagship program will be the highly anticipated third season of House of Cards, but the Netflix service will offer programming from various sources, including Beyond, Roadshow, the US network ABC and the Disney company.
One of its key assets, acquired via its Disney library, will be streaming rights to the box-office hit Frozen.
It also has a large suite of "Netflix Originals" such as the television series Marco Polo, and a handful of new series, including Bloodline, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Marvel's Daredevil.
"Many Aussies and Kiwis have heard a lot about Netflix over the years, and we're excited they'll get to experience our unique blend of Netflix original content, local series and films, and popular movies and TV shows," the company's chief executive, Reed Hastings, said.
The company has also confirmed a deal with the Australian ISP iiNet and Optus under which its customers will not have Netflix-streamed content count against their "home data caps".
The service will also be carried on smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Philips and HiSense, game consoles such as Playstation 3 and 4, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and Nintendo's Wii U, Apple TV, Google Chromecast and Fetch TV's second-generation set-top box.
Speaking exclusively to Fairfax Media last month, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said streaming TV services were successful because they played to the human instinct for "freedom and control".
"The idea of giving people choice and freedom from their schedule is very human," he said. "If you think about it, of course it works. It appeals to something all human beings want which is freedom and control."
Netflix is the third new streaming service to launch in Australia this year; the others are the Nine Network and Fairfax Media-owned Stan and the Foxtel and Seven Network joint venture Presto.
Stan has output deals with Sony (for exclusive rights to Better Call Saul and Transparent), ABC Commercial, MGM, Village Roadshow (which includes exclusive rights to The Lego Movie), CBS Studios and BBC Worldwide.
Presto's library includes series from Foxtel, Channel Seven and HBO.
