Olympics head to theaters, more stories you missed this week
Olympics head to theaters, more stories you missed this week
Another sports streamer is adding wagering integrations, show renewal announcements, and more stories from the week.
We’re nearly through January already, and the headlines are flying fast. There seems to be a never-ending stream of news from the Warner Bros. Discovery sale mess, and for most people, it’s likely the only streaming headline they catch in the course of a busy week.
We’ve taken our usual care in sourcing smaller streaming stories from around the industry to keep you caught up on everything you need to know from the week. Check out the streaming headlines you might have missed below!
Which streaming stories did you miss this week?
NBC to bring some Olympic events to AMC theaters
Streamers have had a sometimes-strained relationship with movie theaters, to put it mildly. But NBCUniversal is cozying up to one of the nation’s largest theater chains, AMC, announcing last Friday that it was sending a selection of 2026 Winter Olympics events to select AMC locations nationwide.
That includes the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 6, as well as coverage from NBC’s daytime presentation of the games all the way through Feb. 22. Customers will be able to stream select coverage live, and more than 150 AMC theaters nationwide will participate. Fans can buy tickets at Fandango, or at participating AMC locations.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
Roku survey charts the rise of free, ad-supported TV
In the past five years, the use of free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) has exploded. That’s the main takeaway from a new study from Roku and Horizon Futures Group, which was published on Thursday. The survey found that 57% of households that were watching only ad-free streaming in 2020 now watch FAST programming.
Since 2020, viewership of FAST programming on The Roku Channel has grown 262 times faster than the overall streaming market. Perhaps most importantly, the study found that audiences think FAST platforms do a better job of delivering premium content than traditional TV does.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a broad mix of movies, TV shows, live linear channels, and original programming. Available to all viewers — not just Roku device owners — the service features licensed content from major studios alongside Roku Originals, which include exclusive series, movies, and specials previously produced for Quibi, as well as new original projects developed specifically for the platform.
DAZN teams with Polymarket for prediction trading integrations
The international sports streaming service DAZN announced a major new partnership on Tuesday. The streamer has signed a deal with Polymarket to bring prediction trading to the DAZN platform. Viewers will see Polymarket data integrated into live sports broadcasts, and DAZN is applying for the appropriate licenses to offer prediction trading on its app in the United States. That process could take several months to complete, however.
DAZN
DAZN is an international sports streaming service dedicated to live and on-demand sports programming. Since its launch in 2016, the platform has expanded to become one of the world’s leading sports streaming destinations, offering coverage that varies by region and includes boxing, soccer, MMA, women’s sports, motorsports, and other major competitions.
Renewals, premiere dates, and first looks
‘Beef’ Season 3 coming April 16
On Wednesday, Netflix unveiled the premiere datefor the third season of “Beef.” The anthology series is returning on April 16, and Netflix revealed a series of new images from the upcoming batch of episodes along with its release date. See the images in the gallery below!
Click the images to expand them to full size.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
Disney+ reveals ‘Percy Jackson’ S3 coming this year
“Percy Jackson & The Olympians” released the final episode of its second season on Wednesday, and a mid-credits scene gave fans a surprise first look at Season 3. Disney+ has posted that first look in Instagram, revealing that the show’s third season would premiere some time in 2026. The specific date will be unveiled at a later time.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
‘Legally Blonde’ prequel series gets early renewal, premiere date
Prime Video had two announcements to share regarding its original series “Elle,” which will serve as a prequel to the 2021 film “Legally Blonde.” As revealed on Wednesday, the show will premiere on the service on July 1, and fans can rest assured it will be back for a second season; Prime Video also announced Wednesday that the show had scored an early renewal for Season 2.
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
Peacock drops ‘Ted’ S2 trailer, release date
Everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed teddy bear is back in “Ted” Season 2. As announced this week, “Ted” Season 2 will premiere on Peacock on Thursday, March 5. All 8 episodes of Season 2 will be available to stream on that date. Stream the new trailer below:
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 teaser debuts
On Wednesday, Apple unveiled its first teaser at the fifth season of its space drama “For All Mankind.” The show will return to the streamer with its newest season on Friday, March 27. Watch the new trailer below:
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.