Netflix Buried Blockbuster But Now Is Bringing The Iconic Brand Back From The Dead
In the 1980's and 90's, Blockbuster was one of the busiest places in town, especially on the weekend. Families flocked to the video rental giant in hopes of getting a copy of the latest flick to be released, initially on VHS tape then eventually on DVD and Blu-ray. While the company was able to still flourish during the change from VHS to optical media, it found itself floundering in the first part of the 21st century as streaming services began to take hold. The company eventually filed bankruptcy in 2010, only three short years after the debut of Netflix in 2007. Even more ironically, Blockbuster had the opportunity to purchase Netflix at one point, but passed on the deal. Ouch.
Now, Netflix is resurrecting Blockbuster in much the same fashion it took the life out of it, through a new show that will be released exclusively on the streaming service. "Blockbuster" will follow store manager Timmy (Randall Park) and the fight to keep the last remaining Blockbuster open for business. The show's first trailer has been released, and is set to begin on November 3, 2022.
Netflix's description of the upcoming show says, "This nostalgic documentary reveals the real story of Blockbuster's demise, and how one last location in Oregon keeps the spirit of a bygone era alive."
As the news of the show and trailer hit Twitter, people quickly began sharing opinions on the move by Netflix. One person tweeted, "Netflix making a movie about Blockbuster feels so savage," while another posted, "Netflix is basically dancing on Blockbuster's grave here".
Netflix has been finding itself in its own distressing situation in recent months, as it struggles to figure out how to overcome people sharing their accounts and losing customers as it raises prices. The company projected it would lose 2 million customers in Q2 after reporting having lost 200,000 in the first quarter. So, while the show may seem to be taking a poke at the fate of Blockbuster to some, it could actually be a premonition of its own story being told by a different company in the future.
For those who have fond memories of renting movies and games at their local Blockbuster, the Netflix show may be bitter sweet to watch. As for those who are too young to remember the rental chain, it might give a bit perspective as to why their parents and grandparents have such nostalgia for the Blockbuster name.
