News

POTD: Here's The Very Last Movie Ever Rented From A Blockbuster

this-is-the-end-header
By Angie Han

Last week's announcement that Blockbuster would shutter all remaining locations marked the end of an era, so it seems only appropriate that the last-ever Blockbuster rental would also be about the end of an era. Albeit a slightly more explosive one.

According to the company's official Twitter account, the very last rental to ever leave store shelves was This Is the End, the apocalyptic comedy directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Check out a photo from the bittersweet event and see Rogen's response after the jump.

At least Blockbuster got to go out strong, with a solid comedy. How much more tragic would it be if, say, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star had turned out to be the last bit of art the video rental behemoth ever got to share with the world?

Rogen noticed the tweet and offered a response of his own.

If you're wondering, as I did, how this guy is going to return the video if all the Blockbuster stores in the world are closed, The Verge has the answer: "A spokesperson with Dish Network, which owns Blockbuster, informed us that customers who rented movies before the last day for rentals can simply drop their movies off at any Blockbuster drop box location." No word on whether Blockbuster will bother charging him late fees if he doesn't get the disc back in time.

Ironically, that statement in itself serves as a reminder of why the once-great retail giant has gone under. Though I spent hours browsing those aisles as a high schooler, these days the very idea of driving to a drop box to return a disc sounds quaint. I can't remember exactly when the last time was that I had to do that, but I'm betting it was circa 2005 — right around the time I started my first Netflix subscription. Sorry, Blockbuster. We'll miss you.

Recommended