What is IMDb?

IMDb stands for Internet Movie Database, the world’s largest and most trusted online database for films, TV shows, podcasts, video games, and streaming content. It provides information about cast, crew, biographies, plot summaries, trivia, ratings, as well as both user and critic reviews (en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com).

History

IMDb began as a hobby project by Col Needham on October 17, 1990, when he posted movie lists on Usenet (en.wikipedia.org, time.com, washingtonpost.com).

It went online in 1993 and was incorporated in 1996 (en.wikipedia.org, wired.com).

In 1998, Amazon acquired IMDb but allowed it to operate independently (en.wikipedia.org, washingtonpost.com).

Sources of Information

IMDb collects data from multiple sources—screen credits, press kits, official bios, interviews, and more (help.imdb.com).

 Additionally, a large portion of its database comes from user submissions—movie fans, industry professionals, and IMDb’s own data editors contribute regularly (wired.com).

Features and Uses

IMDb offers a wide range of useful features:

Watchlist – Add movies and shows to track what you’ve watched or plan to watch (help.imdb.com).

Ratings & Reviews – Rate titles and leave reviews. Lists like “Top Rated 250” are based on aggregated user ratings (en.wikipedia.org).

Release dates, box office data, trailers, and even an X-Ray feature (extra info while watching) are available (help.imdb.com).

IMDbPro – A paid subscription for industry professionals with contact details, production information, and career tools (lifewire.com, britannica.com).

Videos & Originals – Exclusive IMDb Originals and video content (help.imdb.com).

Impact and Reach

As of 2024, IMDb ranked as the 51st most visited website in the world (en.wikipedia.org).

By March 2025, IMDb contained:

Movies: 706,198

TV Series: 276,408

TV Episodes: 8,641,299

Video Games: 41,899

Podcast Episodes: 11,496,163

 (en.wikipedia.org)

Summary

IMDb is the go-to resource for movie lovers, industry professionals, and casual viewers. It started in 1990 as a fan-driven project, became a company in 1996, and was acquired by Amazon in 1998. Its strength lies in both verified industry data and community contributions. The free version covers everything from movie details to user ratings, while IMDbPro offers deeper professional insights.