Vudu, the video streaming service owned by Walmart, has launched Movies On Us, a selection of film and TV content available to view for free.

The service will be ad-supported, with limited commercials interspersed throughout the videos, plus top-level sponsorship for the service – currently from Walmarts Straight Talk Wireless telecoms brand.

At launch, thousands of titles from the likes of Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM are available through the On Us service, with Vudu promising to constantly update the roster.

Its not the most up-to-date selection, with most high-profile releases dating back to 2012 or earlier, but there are plenty of worthwhile older movies on offer, including the Coen brothers remake of True Grit, the original 1976 Carrie, and School of Rock.

The videos are available on all of Vudus apps – which cover Android, iOS, desktop, gaming consoles and smarts TVs – and are marked as Free with ads. They can be streamed in full resolution, up to 1080p,with Dolby Digital sound when available, but cannot be downloaded onto the users device.

Users who already own content that becomes free to watch will not be able to claim a refund, though they will still be able to watch their ad-free version.