With Netflix bumping up its prices yet again, and more streaming services than cable TV channels, maybe it's time for the return of the OG king. A trademark registration suggests that Blockbuster might be making a comeback.
Videos by Wide Open Country
I have such fond memories of Blockbuster. As a child, I used to head down to the local video rental store to peruse the endless shelves of films. Each one carefully filed away according to name and genre. The many VHS and DVD boxes with their beautiful cover art and carefully worded blurbs could be chosen for the evening's entertainment.
Other like-minded movie lovers drifted among the shelves. The Blockbuster wasn't just the beginnings of a highly anticipated movie night, it was also a hangout spot for cinephiles. Like the persevering record store, it was a cultural cornerstone.
But, with the advent of online streaming, Blockbuster went under.
Now, with a recent trademark filing, it might be making a comeback, but not as we remember it.
Blockbuster After Dark
The application for the trademark is publicly available online. But, the information it provides hints at an all-new Blockbuster. The filing identifies the new business as nightclubs, amusement centers, entertainment services, bar and restaurant services, and snack bar services.
This is not the Blockbuster we are familiar with and looks like a pretty drastic rebranding. If they're seriously looking to revamp Blockbuster, the direction they're taking is a curious one.
Surely, if they're looking to bring back Blockbuster in any capacity, they need to play on the video store aesthetic. There has to be at least some element of the movie lover theme to some extent. Maybe there will be a late-night private cinema thing going on, with food and drink served to the screens? Who knows.
I have a multitude of ideas for a revamp of the video store vibe. There was a video store in the city I used to live in that stayed alive because of the owner's love of movies, which meant he was a wealth of conversation and recommendations.
But, also, they had a private cinema screen that would play any of the films they had in stock. We could bring our own drinks and food, and sit in a cinema screen whooping and hollering along to our favorite classic. This is what I want from a revamped Blockbuster.
Either way, watch this space, Blockbuster may be coming back to a city near you.
