NBCU’s Fandango merges streaming services under acquired Vudu brand

NBCUniversal-owned Fandango is to merge its streaming service FandangoNOW with Vudu.

The primarily transactional VOD-based services will be merged under the Vudu banner, and feature over 200,000 new release and catalog movies and TV shows to rent or buy without a subscription. The service will also offer a significant catalogue of free-to-view titles supported by advertising.

Fandango acquired Vudu from Walmart in mid-2020 for an undisclosed fee, a decade after the retailer bought the service for US$100 million. Despite failing to prove a viable asset for Walmart to keep a hold of, the service built up a base of quality-conscious consumers by offering streaming video with higher bitrate streams than many of its competitors. 

In a press release, the company said: ​​“By bringing its two services together on Vudu, Fandango will be able to rapidly innovate 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.”