Randall Park has signed on to star in a Netflix comedy series about the last Blockbuster video store. Yes, the streaming giant is making a series about the former video rental chain who had a chance to purchase Netflix for a mere $50 million back in 2000, but didn’t. Talk about twisting the knife.
The series will simply be titled Blockbuster and has been created by Vanessa Ramos (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Superstore). It’s being described as a single camera comedy taking place in the last Blockbuster Video in America. The series will explore “what it takes – and more specifically who it takes – for a small business to succeed against all odds”.
Jackie Clarke, who also worked with Ramos on Superstore, and David Caspe (Happy Endings) will work alongside Ramos to write the series while also serving as executive producers. Ramos said in a statement:
“To say getting to make a show about a place I love, with my friends Jackie and David, and Randall Park as our star is a dream come true, somehow feels like an understatement. I could not be more grateful to Jim and Megan at Universal for supporting this project since day one and Tracey, Andy, and the whole team at Netflix for being on board with so many weird jokes”.
This is a smart move by Netflix. Not because it’s a victory lap for them, but because there’s a lot of nostalgia baked into the Blockbuster brand, as people frequently reminisce about the days of brick-and-mortar video stores and a time when physical media was king.
Last year saw the release of documentary The Last Blockbuster, which focused on the last remaining store located in Bend, Oregon. The store is actually thriving as a tourist destination, so it’s clear that there’s plenty of good will for the brand. An Office-like sitcom set in the store could be a major hit.
That’s especially the case with Park on board, one of the most likable actors around. Since sitcom Fresh Off The Boat concluded in 2020, he’s appeared in Disney+’s WandaVision, Young Rock, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D, and is currently shooting Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom.
There’s currently no word on when Blockbuster will begin filming, but expect a big rollout and a lot of viewers when it eventually premieres.
#Peace.Love.Blockbuster
