This week saw Roku announcing a premiere date for its Quibi-sourced Roku Originals — while it also added more than two dozen new options to The Roku Channel. Elsewhere, the WNBA and Prime Video have a new multi-year streaming deal; the oft-delayed Friends reunion is finally on its way; and the Los Angeles Lakers are getting their own docuseries.
Here’s what happened in the world of cord cutting and streaming.
Breaking News
Here are some of the top streaming stories from the past week.
Roku Originals Will Premiere on The Roku Channel on May 20
We finally know when Roku will start streaming some of the content it acquired following Quibi’s shutdown. The company says 30 new titles will be available on The Roku Channel under its new Roku Originals branding starting on May 20th. You can check out a full list of titles in our post.
Check out what Roku’s got planned for May 20th here.
The Roku Channel Adds 25 New Channels to Its Free Lineup
This week, Roku also added more than two dozen channels to its free streaming lineup on The Roku Channel. Highlights include a channel dedicated to America’s Test Kitchen, as well as channels focused on films from the 1970s and 1980s. Elsewhere, movie and TV review site Rotten Tomatoes is launching a new channel that will also land on Peacock and XUMO in the near future.
Learn more about The Roku Channel’s latest additions here.
See what the new Rotten Tomatoes channel will offer here.
Prime Video’s New Multi-Year Deal With the WNBA Includes Weekly Live Game Streams
The WNBA and Amazon announced a new multi-year deal that will bring weekly live game streams to Prime Video starting with the 2021 season. You can find a full list of scheduled game streams in our post.
See which games are on the streaming schedule here.
HBO Max ‘Friends’ Reunion Special Wrapped Shooting and Will Have Special Surprises
We learned this week that the oft-delayed Friends reunion special has officially wrapped shooting and star Courteney Cox promised some “special surprises.” Later in the week, HBO Max shared a premiere date of May 27th.
Get the latest on HBO Max’s Friends reunion special here.
Check out the Friends reunion premiere date news here.
Hulu is Getting a Nine-Part Docuseries on the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers will be the focus of a nine-part docuseries coming to Hulu sometime in 2022. The series will cover more than four decades of the storied franchise’s history, which featured some of basketball’s biggest stars.
See who’s involved in the upcoming documentary series here.
‘Jungle Cruise’ Starring Dwayne Johnson Will Be Available on Disney+ Premier Access The Same Day as Theaters
This week, we learned that the Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt adventure Jungle Cruise will premiere in theaters and on Disney+ via Premier Access on the same day. The film, like many recent productions, has seen its premiere date fluctuate as the COVID-19 pandemic continued.
Find out when we can take a Jungle Cruise on Disney+ here.
Hardware Spotlight
A look at the latest streaming and cord-cutting gear
Roku Express 4K+ Review: Roku’s Pint-Sized 4K Streamer Packs a Punch
Earlier this week, we also gave the full review treatment to Roku’s latest streaming device, the Roku Express 4K+. We learned that the new $40 streamer packs a lot into a small package.
See how Roku’s latest streamer stacks up to the competition here.
Industry Report
What’s the latest on the industry?
Apple TV+ Might Have More than 40 Million Subscribers
We learned about new estimates of Apple TV+’s current subscriber base. And with free trial periods possibly coming to a close soon, it’ll be interesting to see how the service fares moving forward.
See the latest estimates about Apple TV+’s subscriber base here.
fuboTV Added 43,000 Subscribers in Q1 2021
Live TV streaming service fuboTV shared its Q1 results, which included increases in subscribers and revenue. It’ll be interesting to see how the service’s investments in sports and sports wagering will play out in the future.
See fuboTV’s latest earnings info here.
Disney+ Reaches 103.6 Million Subscribers
We’ve also got updated subscriber numbers from Disney, which indicate that Disney+ has reached 103.6 million users. After crossing the 100-million mark in March, some analysts were expecting that total to be closer to 110 million by now.
Read more about Disney+’s latest subscriber totals here.
Hulu with Live Drops 200,000 Subscribers
Disney shared its latest subscriber counts this week and while Hulu overall is up to 41.6 million users, its live TV tier has actually lost around 200,000 subscribers.
See the latest Hulu numbers here.
Deal Alert
Save some cash with these current and upcoming deals.
Get Sling TV for Just $10 for Your First Month
Sling is currently offering a deal for new subscribers that includes your first month for $10 on either Sling Blue or Sling Orange, which normally retail for $35 per month each.