Netflix Set To Open Physical Stores With Theme Park-Esque Elements

The irony of Netflix opening physical stores shouldn't be lost on anyone. Video might have killed the radio star, but it was Netflix that was largely responsible for video rental stores — be they small mom-and-pop shops or a part of nationwide chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video — going the way of the dinosaurs. The streaming giant has also been leading the charge to kill physical media for more than a decade, having only barely shuttered its own DVD rental service back in September.

Now, in an apparent bid to find a viable new source of income, the company is gearing up to launch a series of physical locations that will combine retail and dining with live entertainment based on its exclusive films and TV series in 2025. Reporting on the matter, Bloomberg (via NPR) quotes Netflix's vice president of consumer products Josh Simon as saying:

"We've seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows. And we've been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level."

The only way the irony of Netflix pulling a move like this after taking the film and TV industry virtual could be any thicker would be if, say, the streamer had also made a workplace comedy streaming series set in a struggling Blockbuster store. Hey, wait a minute...

So, a collection of themed physical establishments based on a company's popular intellectual properties? Now, where have I heard of that before ... Ah, yes. Netflix is essentially trying to do what the likes of Disney and Universal have done for decades, moving the streamer one step closer to operating its own theme parks. Admittedly, there is room for them to succeed in that department. Save for the "Stranger Things" attraction at Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights and the traveling production "The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience," Netflix has yet to fully branch out into the field of live entertainment based on its films and TV shows.

In a statement to NPR, Rick Munarriz (a senior media analyst with the investment advice company The Motley Fool) reasoned this might well work out for the company:

"Netflix is an ecosystem. It opened a merchandise shop a couple of years ago. It's investing in mobile games. It's more than just a place for your remote control to gravitate to at the end of a long day. Success in the real world through location-based entertainment is the spoils of victory for a leading tastemaker. If Disney and NBC Universal can operate theme parks I give Netflix a decent shot of succeeding with this venture."

NPR television critic Eric Deggans, on the other hand, believes Netflix is way too far behind to catch up with the likes of Disney in this area, stating, "I think it's some kind of weird experiment that they probably will not do for very long." As for me, well, I can't say I'm exactly shocked the company that's more or less in the midst of re-inventing cable is talking about the concept of in-person entertainment like it's some brave new frontier to explore.