The company will rename some 75 shows from the defunct short-form streaming service as ‘Roku Originals.’
Roku is giving the series it acquired from defunct short-form streamer Quibi a new name.
The streaming device maker will rebrand the Quibi library, which it bought in January, as Roku Originals in the run-up to debuting them on its free, ad-supported Roku Channel later in the year. Any future original programming will fall under that banner as well.
A launch date for Roku Originals has yet to be announced.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this award-winning and diverse portfolio of entertainment under the Roku Originals brand — it’s relevant, fun and thought-provoking TV that has something for everyone from the best talent in Hollywood, including Anna Kendrick, Chrissy Teigen, Lena Waithe, Idris Elba, Kevin Hart and Liam Hemsworth,” said Sweta Patel, vp engagement growth marketing at Roku. “The Roku Channel is the place for incredible, free programming and we are excited to bring this premium content to the biggest screen in the home.”
The Roku Originals library includes some 75 shows from Quibi, including a dozen that hadn’t been released when Quibi shut down in late 2020, less than a year after its heavily publicized launch. The mobile-first streamer had signed an impressive talent roster for its shows, including Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz (Most Dangerous Game), Teigen (Chrissy’s Court), Waithe (You Ain’t Got These), Jennifer Lopez (Thanks a Million) and Hart (Die Hart), among many others.
The rebranding comes amid an original content push from Roku, whose devices are in about 50 milli0n homes in the United States. The company has also acquired the library and production studio for venerable home-improvement series This Old House, and recently debuted spy drama Cypher as an exclusive to its U.S. and Canadian users. The company has launched a branded content studio to support its advertising efforts, and several former Quibi executives have also joined Roku to be part of its originals team.
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