Nearly a decade after the company ceased most of its operations, Blockbuster is rumored to be making a comeback.
In a recent tweet, the company joked about reopening: “New business idea: We’re going to come back as a bank and use VHS and DVDs as currency. Time to go visit your mom.”
The tweet was a joke, but it peaked the interest of Twitter users enough for them to head over to the Blockbuster website, which suddenly became active again recently. When they went to the website, the message that they found on the homepage was really shocking:
“We are working on rewinding your movie.”
What does this mean? Does it mean that the Mecca of video and video game rental stores is planning a return?
Nostalgic Blockbuster fans have been commenting on the potential comeback.
“Some of my favorite childhood memories were going to Blockbuster on a Friday night,” one person tweeted.
“The blockbuster website is alive?? If they make a comeback in ANY way I will cry,” another tweeted.
One person said a Blockbuster comeback would be “epic.”
“Seeing the Blockbuster chain back would bring memories, from the past. Friday night after middle school, my cousins and I would make a run for the store, rent movies, video games @SEGA and that would be our weekend party!!” they tweeted.
A trip to the local Blockbuster store was an event that was valued by many families in the 80s, 90s and 2000s. However things started to go downhill for the company as on-demand movie options started to become more popular, with rentals available with the click of a button and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu entering the picture.
In 2014, Blockbuster announced it would be closing nearly 300 remaining stores in the U.S. As of 2023, only one location remains. The last Blockbuster store is located in Bend, Oregon and it was the subject of a 2020 documentary which covered the company’s downfall and the Bend location’s survival. The store is more of an attraction for Blockbuster lovers, making money by selling merchandise and also operating as an Airbnb for people who would like to live out their childhood dream of having the place to themselves for a couple days.
