Popcorn Time is the revolutionary app that’s been continuously dubbed the Netflix for torrents. But after aggressive legal action by the Motion Picture Association of America, the original site Popcorntime.io, shut down indefinitely. But after week of mystery surrounding its sudden reappearance, anonymous developers are declaring that illegal Netflix is back, baby.
Previously reported by TorrentFreak, the Popcorn Time blog recently announced the resurrection with an update called “Hail Hydra.” The post says, “After the ‘MPAA incident,’ we’re a little diminished, and we’ve chosen a new direction: we’re shifting from an active development of Popcorn Time to a more or less resilience-driven development.”
The unknown devs also mention other team members who’ve gone on to work on the legal version of Popcorn Time, called Butter, and say that Butter and their new zombie reincarnation share the same base code.
As TorrentFreak points out, all these Popcorn Time imitators (there are several) along with various plug-ins must deal with the ever looming specter of insecurity, especially since anonymous developers mean no one can be held accountable if things go awry. This new incarnation of Popcorn Time says it’s sticking with the platform’s original mission, which means the site won’t be looking to make money whatsoever.
Who knows how resistant this new form of Popcorn Time will be, but for now, streaming film is free again.
[Popcorn Time Blog via TorrentFreak]
Contact the author at darren.orf@gizmodo.com.