Roku and Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network are partnering together to launch an exclusive linear channel dedicated to Latinx-infused entertainment on The Roku Channel. The channel will launch Tuesday, August 17.
Cinedigm announced earlier this month that it would be reviving El Rey Network for a streaming audience. The ad-supported channel will feature content curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective. Featured El Rey Network content includes Rodriguez’s thoughtful conversations with creatives like John Carpenter and Quentin Tarantino in “The Director’s Chair”; “Rebel Without A Crew: The Series,” in which filmmakers set out to make their first feature under Rodriguez’s guidance; a library of unscripted franchises including “The Chuey Martinez Show”; and feature films that run the genre gamut from grindhouse to cult classic action to horror/sci-fi.
“With El Rey’s transition into the streaming space, we are thrilled to partner with Roku on an exclusive window for the channel,” said Robert Rodriguez. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to diverse voices and authentic and inclusive storytelling that can be accessed on a free ad-supported basis.”
On The Roku Channel, viewers will have access to over 150 hours of El Rey original content. The Roku Channel will also be the exclusive first AVOD destination for audiences to watch Rodriguez’s feature film “Red 11,” which tells the story of a dark, twisted world of legal drug research where college kids become lab rats to make quick money. Additionally, the free streaming service will show a docuseries about the making of the movie, called “Rebel Without a Crew: The Robert Rodriguez Film School,”
“Roku has forged a whole new path for fans to enjoy experiencing movies and TV shows without a paywall, added John Fogelman, CEO, FactoryMade Ventures, and a founder of El Rey Network. “And like Roku and Robert, El Rey Network is not afraid to break new ground to bring culturally diverse entertainment from some of today’s most exciting and break-through storytellers to millions of engaged streamers on The Roku Channel.”