Watch out, Netflix, because YouTube is now offering free movies! This October, YouTube quietly made some 100 titles available for free. The movies include classics such as Legally Blonde, The Terminator, and Rocky. The site also offers a number of comedies, action films, and documentaries.
YouTube has previously offered movies for a price, but the free content could mark the beginning of a more significant move for the site. “We saw this opportunity based on user demand, beyond just offering paid movies. Can we do ad-supported movies, free to the user?" director of product management Rohit Dhawan said to AdAge.
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In the past, YouTube has caused controversy for attaching sponsored content to questionable videos. The system of free movies is a way to avoid this, allowing advertisers to offer specific movies directly.
The downside of this? The films will come with ads. This seems a small price to pay for free movie, especially given that YouTube hopes to expand its offerings. Dhawan told AdAge the new content may be expanded to offer “complimentary views and exclusive screenings.” But in the meantime, free movies seem like a pretty good deal.