Since its 2014 launch, Pluto TV has built up a base of more than six million monthly viewers by offering a live television experience that spans more than 100 channels. Now, Pluto wants to claim a piece of the video on-demand (VOD) pie as well. It has launched a service that offers a selection of movies and TV shows for free.
Pluto’s VOD service is bolstered by deals with MGM, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros, all of whom have brought titles from their respective back catalogs to the platform. Movies that Pluto viewers can currently watch for free include Silence of the Lambs, The Usual Suspects, and the original Mad Max.
Variety, which first reported on Pluto’s VOD offering, noted that while the pickings are currently free, paid subscriptions could soon be worked into the mix as well, with Spotify’s “hybrid” model of both free and paid content cited as a comparison. That likeness would not be a coincidence, as one of Pluto’s most prominent execs is Ken Parks, whom it hired away from Spotify in August 2015.
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“We’re excited to give [Pluto users] even more ways to enjoy the content they love, and now they can pick specific movies and TV shows to watch on demand,” said Pluto TV CEO Tom Ryan.
As Pluto looks to expand its content offerings, it should have plenty of capital to work with. Last autumn, it announced a $30 million funding round with investors like ProSiebenSat.1 and Scripps Networks Interactive.
