During the Amazon NewFronts, Freevee (formerly IMDb TV) announced an increased slate of original programs and FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) offerings, along with a short-term film licensing agreement with Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution. Last month, the company announced a 70% year-over-year increase to its originals slate.
Not only will the free platform offer new originals such as “Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis,” “Troppo,” “America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation,” “Beyond Black Beauty,” “Play-Doh Squished,” “Inside No. 9,” and “Post Malone: Runaway,” but it will also be getting a limited selection of Disney titles like “Deadpool,” “Logan,” “Hidden Figures,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” and “The Post.” The agreement with Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution follows the previously announced NBCU deal with Freevee, giving the platform an exclusive network window for films from Universal Filmed Entertainment Group’s 2020-21 theatrical slate.
In addition, “Bosch: Legacy” will be getting a second season, and UNINTERRUPTED’s “Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers” will be getting two more seasons (Season 3 and 4). Freevee also recently announced the Season 2 pickup of “Judy Justice.”
Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi, co-heads of content and programming, Amazon Freevee, said in a statement,
“Amazon Freevee is a trailblazer in the AVOD space, reimagining, redefining, and leveling up the quality of content offered by a free streaming service. By developing and programming inspired, fan-favorite original series and movies—produced and delivered by Amazon Studios in partnership with some of the industry’s best creators and studio partners—and by securing exclusive, highly sought licensed content, we have built a destination where viewers know they can discover and enjoy something new, or indulge in something they already love. We’ve also built a home for talent where their ideas will be nurtured and brought to life, and are building a brand where advertisers know they will find popular, compelling programming. Today’s announcements about our upcoming slate showcase our continued commitment to delivering customers the premium content they crave—always free of charge.”
Additional originals in various stages of production for Amazon Freevee include Greg Garcia’s comedy series “Sprung;” “High School,” a scripted series adapted by Clea DuVall and based on the memoir by artists Tegan and Sara Quin; the coming-of-age comedy, “Primo;” and “On Call,” Dick Wolf’s new drama.
Amazon Freevee also announced that it has increased its FAST offering to more than 75 channels, including exclusive linear channels for the hit Canadian sitcom “Kim’s Convenience” and comedy series “The Kids in the Hall.” This is a jump from the 35 channels it had last year.
Amazon Freevee stands out as a FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) competitor to watch as it continues to rebrand itself and rapidly increase its content library with originals and studio deals.
