Blockbuster’s famous video-rental stores are dead and gone. But the erstwhile chain’s brand is alive and kicking in a new nostalgia play from collectibles maker Funko.
Funko announced a partnership with Blockbuster for a new “retro entertainment” product line, dubbed Rewind, featuring collectibles and packaging fashioned around the iconic Blockbuster design. The first full Rewind collection is set to go on sale in the fall of 2023. Each newly designed collectible figure comes encased in VHS-type packaging — “reminiscent of a time before Y2K when VHS reigned supreme,” according to Funko. The figures also will come with a membership card that mimics Blockbuster’s famous cards.
Blockbuster, which in 2000 famously rejected the chance to buy Netflix for $50 million, was acquired by Dish Network in 2011 for $320 million. Less than three years later, Dish had shut down all owned-and-operated Blockbuster outlets and mothballed the brand. Currently, the Blockbuster website has a message that says, “We are working on rewinding your movie.” (In a meta twist, Netflix last fall premiered “Blockbuster,” a workplace comedy that was canceled after one season.)
According to Funko, the Blockbuster-inspired Rewind figures will differ from the typical Funko aesthetic, with a design intended to “celebrate the nostalgia and overall creativity of the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s.”
“Our partnership with Blockbuster, one of the most well-known retail chains in entertainment, will provide our fans with the opportunity to be on the precipice of vintage pop culture and entertainment,” Funko CEO Brian Mariotti said in announcing the deal. “Steeped in nostalgia, Rewind expertly showcases the breadth of our licensing pedigree, providing consumers with a new way to access and embrace the pop culture titans that defined a generation in a way that is unique to Funko.”
Funko will highlight its throwback to the VHS era during the Fun on the Run cross-country event (July 7-July 19) celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary. As part of the activation, Funko will have a branded bus traveling to 10 different locations (starting in Nashville, Tenn., and ending in San Diego for San Diego Comic-Con) where it will sell Fun on the Run products (also available on funko.com).