Vudu operates a digital marketplace for movies and TV shows, as well as an ad-supported streaming service.
NBCUniversal is in talks to acquire Walmart's Vudu video business, a source familiar with the discussions tells The Hollywood Reporter.
A deal would give NBCU ownership of Vudu's digital marketplace for movies and television shows. Vudu also offers a free, ad-supported video service. An NBCU spokeswoman declined to comment. Representatives for Vudu and Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Walmart spokesman told THR, "We’re constantly having conversations with partners but we don’t share details of those discussions."
The talks come ahead of NBCUniversal's planned launch of new streaming service Peacock, which will offer both ad-supported and subscription video plans. Vudu could help to bolster Peacock's free, ad-supported tier. Meanwhile, its digital marketplace could serve as a companion offering, one that would tie in with the NBCU-owned movie ticketer and rental service Fandango.
Walmart acquired Vudu in 2010 as the home video market began to decline. The service, launched in 2004, allows people to buy and rent more than 100,000 movies and shows online and via connected TV services. Over the years, Vudu also expanded to offer free titles for streaming. Walmart says Vudu has an install base of 100 million devices.
