Amazon’s IMDb launches Freedive, a free movie and TV streaming service — with ads


(IMDb screen grab)

IMDb, which has proven over the years to know a thing or two about movies, is getting into the business of streaming them, along with TV shows, via a new service from the Amazon-owned company called Freedive.

The channel is available starting today in the United States on IMDb’s website and on Amazon Fire TV devices. Freedive is free, but its offering of full-length movies and TV shows does come with ads.

Films featured at the top of the home page on Thursday included “Memento,” “True Romance,” “Awakenings,” “The Last Samurai” and others. TV shows include “Fringe,” “Heroes,” The Bachelor” and more.

Freedive takes IMDb beyond its offering of short-form original series, trailers and celebrity interviews and puts it in the mix agaist streaming giants such as Netflix, Hulu and the parent company’s Amazon Prime Video.

Users will also be able to dive deeper on titles they are watching with the use of X-Ray, which provides information about cast, crew, trivia, soundtracks and more, according to a news release.

The company said the Freedive catalog will continue to evolve, with new titles added regularly. Col Needham, founder and CEO of IMDb, said in a statement that Freedive will eventually be made available more widely, including on IMDb’s mobile apps.


via GeekWire
Amazon’s IMDb launches Freedive, a free movie and TV streaming service — with ads