14 DAY TRIAL // YouTube has been experimenting with full-length movies, either free or rentals for several months now, though the offering is still very much in the early stages. But the video site is moving forward and is now opening up the movies section to UK users as well.
Full length movies have been available in the US for quite some time now, though the selection of titles hasn't really made YouTube a household name when it comes to online movies.
The feature is now being extended over the Atlantic to UK users as well. In total, about 400 movies will be added to the selection thanks to partnerships with Blinkbox, an online video-on-demand service, and others.
The Blinkbox partnership also adds about 165 free movies to the selection. The VOD site normally charges £1.99 for movie streaming, but the movies will be ad supported on YouTube.
"This is one of many efforts to ensure that people can find all the different kinds of video they want to see, from bedroom vlogs and citizen journalism reports to full-length films and TV shows," Donagh O'Malley, YouTube's head of video partnerships, told The Guardian.
"We hope film lovers enjoy the range of titles in this free library, whether catching up on a mainstream hit or delving into the vast archive of classic films from decades past," he added.
UK viewers still don't get access to movies YouTube licensed from MGM, Lionsgate or Sony Pictures in a recent deal.
This means that the selection of movies available to the UK audience is still rather small and niche to say the least. But if you're into Bollywood, Slasher flicks or B-movies of yesteryear, YouTube has just the thing now.
Following this initial roll-out, YouTube may start offering rental movies as well.