Walmart wrestles itself a WWE deal

STAMFORD, Conn. -- WWE and Vivendi Entertainment announced that Walmart will be the exclusive retailer for WWE Studios’ films. Vivendi Entertainment will continue to be WWE’s North American retail and rental distribution partner.

Under this arrangement, Walmart, Sam's Club and Walmart.com will have the exclusive right to sell DVD and Blu-ray versions of the films for the first 90 days of release. The Chaperone starring WWE Superstar Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Ariel Winter (“Modern Family”) and Kevin Corrigan (American Gangster), which was just released, is the first film of the deal.

“WWE is thrilled to further its relationships with Vivendi and Walmart with this exclusive deal,” said Jim Connelly, SVP consumer products WWE. “With the combination of Walmart’s retail strength, Vivendi’s distribution rights, and WWE Studios’ family-friendly movies, consumers and families across America will have greater access to quality at-home entertainment.”

As part of the partnership, Walmart will be integrated into WWE’s multi-million dollar marketing campaign for each retail release across all WWE platforms.