Criterion Preps Standalone Streaming Service

In the wake of FilmStruck’s announcement that it is shutting down this month, the Criterion Collection has unveiled plans for a standalone streaming service.

The SVOD service FilmStruck, which had been the home of the Criterion Collection, is ceasing operations on November 29. The new Criterion Channel will roll out as a standalone service in the spring of next year. The company says the platform will be a “movie lover’s dream streaming service, with smart thematic programming, where the history of cinema can live and breathe, where a new generation of filmmakers and film lovers can explore the classics or revel in rarities, where adventurous cinephiles can champion films that have never gotten their due, and newcomers can easily find guidance from major filmmakers, top scholars, curators, and other experts from all walks of life.”

The Criterion Collection also will be accessible via WarnerMedia’s new consumer platform when it launches late next year.

The Criterion Channel will cost $10.99 a month or $100 a year. Those who sign up now as charter subscribers will pay $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year.