While Quibi called it quits last month, the content from the mobile-first service could live on. Roku is reportedly close to closing on a deal to buy Quibi’s content catalog.
Wall Street Journal reports that Roku would acquire rights to the content from the service started by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, but financial details were not disclosed.
Quibi’s shows and movies, which were presented on the app in chapters, would likely become exclusive original content on Roku, joining a lineup of content produced by other companies. Some Quibi titles included “Chrissy’s Court” which saw Chrissy Teigen as a judge in small claims court, “Most Dangerous Game” starring Liam Hemsworth, and a “Reno 911” revival.
The content would likely find a home on The Roku Channel, the free streaming service from Roku.
Quibi had made seven year licensing deals with producers to exhibit content on Quibi. While insiders say that some contracts prohibit the content from being available on other platforms, sources familiar with the contracts tell WSJ that the terms won’t get in the way of a deal to bring the content to Roku.
While Quibi couldn’t manage to get viewers interested and engaged in its short form content, shuttering after just six months, Roku could have better luck with a more established platform and over 50 million active users.