Roku Originals are here, but they’re not entirely original

Roku Originals are here, but they’re not entirely original
(Image credit: Roku)

Remember Quibi? No? Well, it doesn't matter. Meet Roku Originals. Roku announced that Roku Originals will be the new brand name for the content from the company's purchase of the Quibi library in January. 

Roku Originals launches in May and eventually will include future original programming created specifically for the Roku Channel. In recent months, Roku has been making moves to add original content to its free, ad-supported outlet. And last month, the Roku Channel debuted its first exclusive licensed series, the FBI drama Cypher.

The Roku Channel has doubled its audience in the last year, with the company reporting it reached U.S. households with an estimated 63 million people in Q4 2020. The channel offers 40,000 free movies and programs and more than 165 free live linear television channels. Current titles in the rotation include classics like Bewitched and more recent hits like The Wolf of Wall Street.

The new Roku Originals brand will kick off with more than 75 Quibi shows, including a dozen unreleased titles. One of those is Steven Spielberg’s After Dark, a horror series intended to stream only after sunset. Another is Slugfest, a documentary series about comic books from the Russo Brothers.

Roku's announcement made it clear that the shows can be viewed on a screen of any size. When Quibi first launched, it was mobile-only (though they later scrambled to make the platform available on TVs). That was just one of the many problems with the doomed streaming service, which ranked among the biggest tech fails of 2020.

But while the app, technology and very premise of Quibi were all dubious, its content was actually pretty good (and even won Emmy awards). Now, those shows have a spiffy new brand and home.

“Every day, millions of viewers turn to The Roku Channel to find quality programming they love,” said Sweta Patel, Vice President of Engagement Growth Marketing, at Roku. “We’re thrilled to introduce this award-winning and diverse portfolio of entertainment under the Roku Originals brand – it's relevant, fun and thought-provoking TV that has something for everyone from the best talent in Hollywood, including Anna Kendrick, Chrissy Teigen, Lena Waithe, Idris Elba, Kevin Hart, and Liam Hemsworth. The Roku Channel is the place for incredible, free programming and we are excited to bring this premium content to the biggest screen in the home.”

TOPICS
Kelly Woo
Streaming Editor

Kelly is the managing editor of streaming for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.

Read more
Roku Channel on a television set
3 best sitcoms streaming free on Roku Channel right now
Best Roku channels
Best Roku channels to stream on your device
All-new Roku TV unveiled at CES 2023 is one of the best Roku TVs
The best Roku TVs in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed
Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro and Britt Lower in Severance
Stream 'Severance' free on Roku ahead of season 2 premiere — how to watch this Apple TV Plus sci-fi hit for free now
Roku Deals
Huge Roku sale at Amazon — 7 deals on TVs and streaming devices from $17
The best Roku devices represented by a Roku Streambar with remote
Best Roku devices 2025
Latest in Streaming
Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston and Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in "Adolescence" on Netflix
Netflix just got a gripping crime drama show that’s already hit No. 1 — and it’s 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Leslie Bibb in The White Lotus season 3
Last night's 'White Lotus' cameo is less surprising than you think
Wyatt Russell as Corporal Ford in "Overlord" movie (2018)
This intense war thriller with a dark twist is free to stream right now — and ‘28 Days Later’ fans will love it
Jeffery Dean Morgan as Negan and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in "The Walking Dead: Dead City" season 1
Netflix finally got one of the best ‘Walking Dead’ spinoffs — and now’s the perfect time to binge it
Simone Ashley and Hero Fiennes Tiffin in "Picture This" now streaming on Prime Video
Prime Video top 10 has 3 must-watch movies — including a bubbly romcom starring 'Bridgerton's' Simone Ashley
(L-R) Josh Hartnett as Cooper and Ariel Donoghue as Riley in "Trap"
Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
Latest in News
Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar
Samsung’s flagship 2024 soundbar just got bricked by a new firmware update — don’t update
A hacker typing quickly on a keyboard
New MassJacker malware is hijacking digital wallets to steal large sums from users
Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston and Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in "Adolescence" on Netflix
Netflix just got a gripping crime drama show that’s already hit No. 1 — and it’s 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Leslie Bibb in The White Lotus season 3
Last night's 'White Lotus' cameo is less surprising than you think
Garmin Fenix 8 Sleep
New data reveals the average Garmin sleep score — do you sleep better or worse than most people?
Miele Guard L1 smart vacuum cleaner
Miele has launched its first vacuum cleaner with Wi-Fi — and it’s a game changer