• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, April 22, 2021

Roku is rebranding the content it acquired from the now-defunct Quibi streaming service as “Roku Originals.”

Roku said the name will also be used for future original programming for U.S., U.K. and Canadian users of its free, ad-supported Roku Channel, but declined to elaborate on plans for producing or otherwise obtaining such content.

The company said it will provide more specifics in May, which is when its NewFront presentation is scheduled to take place.

The Quibi offerings, which will be released during 2021, span more than 75 originals, including a dozen unreleased series, and feature high-profile talent including Anna Kendrick, Chrissy Teigen, Lena Waithe, Idris Elba, Kevin Hart and Liam Hemsworth (shown above in a trailer for the orignal movie "Most Dangerous Game").

The company said that Roku Originals will be accessible through all platforms that feature the Roku Channel, as well as on Roku devices.

The Roku Channel reached U.S. households comprising an estimated 63 million people as of Q4 2020, representing 100% year-over-year growth, according to the company.

Roku, which finished 2020 with 51.2 million active accounts, is pushing to differentiate its channel from other FASTs through original content. Last month, the Roku Channel bowed “Cypher,” a new scripted series, making it available to U.S. and Canadian viewers for the first time.