Media platform Future has acquired CinemaBlend, a US-based premium digital entertainment publisher.

CinemaBlend is a digital brand focused on the TV, film and entertainment market. Through its website, podcast series, social media channels and newsletters, it provides a platform for enthusiasts and casual fans to discover, explore and discuss films and TV shows, both on streaming services such as Netflix and linear TV such as HBO.

The brand’s website, Cinemablend.com, reached 19.4 million monthly unique visitors over the first six months of 2020, representing growth of 118 per cent year-on-year.

CinemaBlend generated revenue of $3.1m in the year to 31 December 2019, up from $2.7m in the previous year, and has experienced significant online growth since the start of 2019. In 2020 CinemaBlend continued to perform well with the impact of Covid-19 increasing appetite for advice on what to watch on TV, resulting in 28 million sessions in June 2020.

Zillah Byng-Thorne, chief executive of Future, said: “We are delighted to be adding CinemaBlend to our portfolio of leading entertainment brands. CinemaBlend is a great cultural fit for Future, producing content we are passionate about.

“The acquisition materially expands our market share within the TV and film and games and entertainment verticals in the US, and provides us with a range of opportunities to continue to drive the brand’s growth organically by leveraging our proprietary technology platform.”