Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. have each signed a licensing deal with Gaia Online that will bring films to the teen-and-'tween virtual world. The agreement also gives Sony a minority stake in Gaia -- which in its announcement claims nearly 3 million unique visitors a month, or more than either Second Life or Habbo gets.

The new Gaia Cinemas is open for business, and users can watch free films in-world, beginning with Sony's Gattaca and WB's The Matrix -- both futuristic tech flicks, appropriately enough. The big question -- how's the content getting monetized? Apparently through advertiser skins surrounding the film screen. Said Sony senior executive VP Sean Carey, "I think it has the ability to create an incremental revenue source with more potential than just solo viewing."

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the studios will also have flexibility to alternate between the ad-supported model -- which will also give them a cut of virtual goods revenue -- and ad-free pay-per-view, for which Warner will charge $1.99 per ticket for 24 hours' access to the purchased film inside Gaia.

The agreement provides for 50 library titles each from Sony and Warner to Gaia -- Spider Man, Batman Returns and Ghost Rider, to name a few. Sony will reportedly begin supplying other programming in the future, like the television "minisodes" it has designated for digital platforms. Though there are currently no plans to show current releases in Gaia, it can't be ruled out depending on the success of the format for older titles.

Another interesting tidbit picked up by the Hollywood Reporter --while Sony wouldn't discuss its stake in Gaia in specific terms, "the company is believed to be one of a number of investors participating in a Series B round of funding totaling $15 million."

[Via Hollywood Reporter]