Czech Company Developing Rival to Netflix

OBBOD will offer Hollywood blockbusters, art and festival films, and docs as early as this December

Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas

Written by Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas Published on 12.10.2016 12:17:39 (updated on 12.10.2016) Reading time: 1 minute

The US streaming service Netflix made headlines this year when it expanded into 130 countries, including the Czech Republic, in January 2016.

But with a bit of a lackluster selection, the local conensus has been that there is definitely room for improvement – and competition.

The aim of the new Czech streaming video service OBBOD is to offer a catalog of films, TV series, and other video content as early as December this year, reports TechNet

While the company has plans to start out modestly, it hopes to expand abroad (current language options English and Slovak) to Central and Eastern Europe, where it will provide video content in local language versions.

With a monthly subscription service (prices have not yet been released) that can be accessed by a number of famiily members across an unlimited number of devices, the company is also planning to develop its own original series after the Netflix/Amazon model.

It is currently screening Vyšehrad, a Czech-language football-themed comedy with an “Entourage” feel, to its test users but will also feature Hollywood hits, movies for kids, art and festival films, and documentaries.

An early look at the site shows that a number of its offerings have Eng-language subtitles and/or are shown in the original langauge with Czech subtitles.

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