We’re already living in a world where a lot of people won’t have a clue what Quibi is, even though it’s only been three and a half years since the streaming service launched to much fanfare after raising $1.75 billion in capital and promising top-tier content from some of the biggest names in the business.
To be far, it did live up to that promise somewhat with names including Steven Spielberg, Christoph Waltz, Sophie Turner, Anna Kendrick, Antoine Fuqua, the Russo brothers, Sam Raimi, Rachel Brosnahan, Idris Elba, Jennifer Lopez, and Kiefer Sutherland just a smattering of the talent recruited by a platform that sought to specialize in short-form content that would only run for five to eight minutes.
Easily the biggest embarrassment in the history of the streaming wars, Quibi was shuttered just six months later and was only able to return $350 million of that investment to its packers. In stepped Roku to acquire almost the entirety of the content library for a sum that was confirmed to be “significantly less” than $100 million, but it appears that the rival streamer has already gotten bored.
After naming and shaming the 37 titles set to be placed on the chopping block and removed from the library imminently, almost every single one of them was a Quibi original, rubbing even more salt into a gaping wound that had only been allowed to heal because the entire world forgot in rapid order that it was even a thing to have existed in the first place.
Farewell, Quibi… again… how we hardly knew ye.
Published: Sep 8, 2023 11:32 am