Fandango, Vudu platform merger
August 4, 2021
By Colin Mann
Digital entertainment network Fandango is uniting its two popular movie and TV streaming services, Vudu and FandangoNOW, creating what it says is a bigger, better on-demand entertainment platform on Vudu.
The newly-updated Vudu will replace FandangoNOW as the official movie and TV store on streaming platform Roku. Vudu uses Roku Pay, a fast and simple way to pay on Roku streaming devices.
The new Vudu service will offer more than 200,000 new release and catalogue movies and TV shows to rent or buy, including what it claims is the largest collection of 4K UHD titles and thousands of titles to watch for free – all with no subscription required.
Vudu, which was acquired by Fandango in 2020, is available in more than 75 million US TV-connected device households, according to The NPD Group. Vudu has more than 60 million registered users and serves millions of consumers daily across Smart TVs, connected devices, mobile and online.
“At Fandango, we’ve been building a digital network that super-serves tens of millions of fans across the entire entertainment lifecycle, from movie and TV discovery with Rotten Tomatoes, to our three theatrical ticketing apps and now an even larger scale Vudu on-demand streaming destination,” said Fandango President Paul Yanover. “During a time where consumers have a myriad of viewing options, we’re proud to deliver a service that presents an unparalleled library of content, many titles that are not available on subscription services, and the flexibility to pay as you go.”
“Consumer excitement for premium video on-demand has grown significantly as users turn to streaming to access the latest movies and TV show releases,” added Tedd Cittadine, Vice President, Content Partnerships, Roku. “We’re thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Fandango as we build a future where all TV will be streamed by creating a seamless experience for users to discover and enjoy premium video on-demand releases.”
Vudu delivers multiple 4K Ultra HD audio-visual experiences, including premium formats such as Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision and is available on the industry’s widest selection of platforms and devices such as Samsung, LG and Vizio Smart TVs, the Roku platform, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex, PlayStation, Xbox, TiVo and more. Other benefits include personalised deals with Mix & Match bundles; family-friendly features like Kids Mode; and everything consumers need to manage their digital collections, such as list-building and easy ways to transfer physical discs to digital.
The launch furthers Fandango’s mission to usher fans to premium entertainment experiences when and where they want them – in theatres’ on the big screen, at home and on the go. By bringing its two services together on Vudu, Fandango will be able to innovate rapidly and make bolder, faster enhancements to benefit consumers and partners, especially important during an ever-changing media landscape. Vudu’s size, reach and breadth of content, paired with Fandango’s scale in theatrical ticketing, will provide even more opportunities for studios, brands and marketers to reach a massive high value entertainment audience.
FandangoNOW customers can transfer their accounts and movie and TV collections to Vudu. Access to their libraries will thereafter be provided through Vudu. The Movie Store and TV Store on Roku devices will automatically update from FandangoNOW to the new Vudu.