UPDATE 4/21: Vudu today announced it will be acquired by Fandango. For now, "nothing about the Vudu experience is changing – your movie & TV library is safe, and you will continue to have access to all your Vudu apps across your favorite devices," Vudu said in a blog post.
For the time being, Vudu customers can continue to log in with their Walmart.com account credentials, though that will likely change "in the months ahead."
The move comes about a week after NBCUniversal launched its Peacock streaming service for Comcast subscribers; it arrives for everyone else on July 15. Comcast acquired Fandango in 2007 and NBCUniversal in 2011.
Original Story 2/23/2020:
You've got plenty of streaming services to choose from, but NBCUniversal's Peacock might get out ahead of its competitors when it launches later this year. Still, it looks like Comcast might want to do more than generate revenue from ads and subscriptions.
Comcast is in discussions with Walmart to acquire Vudu, the Wall Street Journal reports. Both sides are negotiating a deal that would let Comcast, NBCUniversal's parent company, purchase the asset and roll it into the upcoming Peacock service.
It's a deal that would support Peacock's mission to exist as an all-in-one entertainment hub. NBCUniversal wants users to choose whether or not they pay for the service, and all users could benefit from an extensive library of films and series to rent or buy. Peacock's library draws on original programming and licensed content, but it'll largely rely on NBCUniversal's studios rather than outside production companies. Vudu's infrastructure could then get integrated as a method for users to immediately rent or buy content that Peacock doesn't stream with a membership. However, the report suggests Comcast might want to direct that functionality to Fandango and its FandangoNOW service.
Walmart operates Vudu to sell digital rentals and releases, but it also streams films and series for free in an ad-supported format. That particular capability might find itself rolled into Peacock. There's also a limited amount of original programming available on Vudu. Overall, Vudu's library consists of over 100,000 titles.
Meanwhile, the Journal also reports that Fox might acquire Tubi, another streaming service that offers free, ad-supported streaming for thousands of films and series [UPDATE: It did]. Media companies are trying to scoop up ad-supported platforms due to their popularity among people who don't have cable or satellite TV. Last year, ViacomCBS closed on a $340 million deal to take control of Pluto TV. Similar deals are expected in the months ahead.
Peacock debuts on April 15 for Comcast's Xfinity customers. Everyone else needs to wait until the summer for the full launch. NBCUniversal says it'll significantly expand availability in mid-July. Live events will remain on NBCUniversal's linear networks, but Peacock could eventually gain a live TV-inspired component as cord cutting continues to rise.
Further Reading
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