A few weeks ago, Fmovies, a leading pirate streaming site, vanished from the internet. This shutdown occurred amidst a broader crackdown on piracy, including the recent takedown of AniWave. Today, it has been revealed that anti-piracy group ACE played a crucial role in helping Vietnamese authorities dismantle this piracy operation. Coinciding with this, the Vietnamese government is gearing up for a promotional tour in Hollywood.

Fmovies’ Decline and Impact

Pirate streaming sites often appear and disappear, but recent months have seen an unusual spike in significant closures. Founded in 2016, Fmovies was a notable player in the piracy world, persistently evading legal actions that Hollywood had attempted to enforce. Despite efforts to block the site, Fmovies continued to thrive, which prompted the Motion Picture Association (MPA) to seek more aggressive solutions.

In a demonstration to U.S. Congress last year, MPA Senior Executive Vice President Karyn Temple showcased how Fmovies made the latest films and TV shows easily accessible within one of the most secure buildings in the country. The MPA’s planned approach was site blocking, but the slow legislative process meant Fmovies, along with various related sites, remained active longer than anticipated.

Fmovies’ Sudden Collapse

In June, the Fmovies site experienced a significant decline, with new content ceasing to appear. Within weeks, the site was completely offline, leaving no official word from its operators. This shutdown set off a chain reaction: multiple related sites also went dark, redirecting users to new portals that quickly disappeared as well. The sudden disappearance of these sites has drawn attention to their links with Vietnam and their association with earlier platforms like 123Movies.

The recent wave of site closures was not confined to traditional films and TV shows. AniWave, a major anime piracy site, was also taken down, eliminating billions of visits to piracy sites almost overnight.

ACE and Vietnamese Authorities Take Action

The precise cause of these site closures remained unclear initially, but the MPA and ACE’s frequent visits to Vietnam suggested they were involved. Today, ACE confirmed their collaboration with Hanoi Police in shutting down the Fmovies network and associated sites, including AniWave, Bflixz, Flixtorz, Movies7, and Myflixer.

ACE reported that this operation was the largest piracy ring globally, attracting over 6.7 billion visits between January 2023 and June 2024. The Fmovies network also had ties to Vidsrc.to, a video hosting provider that went offline this week, impacting numerous smaller piracy sites.

Charles Rivkin, CEO of the MPA and Chairman of ACE, hailed the takedown as a major win for the global creative community. He emphasized the importance of ACE’s leadership and the cooperation between international and Vietnamese authorities in combating criminal activity and protecting creators’ rights.

Ongoing Efforts and Future Prospects

Despite the successful takedown, details about arrests or specific actions against the operators remain undisclosed. Larissa Knapp, MPA Executive Vice President, expressed optimism about future enforcement collaborations between Vietnamese and U.S. authorities to further address intellectual property crimes.

Vietnam and the U.S. are also enhancing their partnership through diplomatic channels, with U.S. Ambassador Marc E. Knapper noting that strengthening intellectual property rights is a key component of their comprehensive partnership. The Vietnamese film industry is evolving, moving from a state-subsidized model to a privately-driven growth phase, with intellectual property protection being crucial for this transition.

Vietnam’s U.S. Cinema and Tourism Promotion

In addition to these enforcement actions, Vietnam is planning a Cinema and Tourism Promotion Program in the U.S., aiming to leverage Hollywood’s influence to boost Vietnamese tourism. Events in Los Angeles later this year are part of this initiative, designed to draw American tourists and highlight Vietnam as a film location.

The Motion Picture Association is involved in this promotion, with an industry representative scheduled to speak at the event. Although the exact benefits of the MPA are not detailed, the successful dismantling of the Fmovies piracy ring will likely make the promotion even more significant.

Overall, the collaboration between Vietnam and the U.S., coupled with the recent successes against piracy, underscores a strong commitment to protecting intellectual property and promoting cultural exchange.