There can be only one.

[Shockeye]

Blockbuster Inc. has offered $700 million for rival Hollywood Entertainment Corp. in a deal that would extend Blockbuster's position as the world's largest movie rental company. Shares of both companies rose in early trading.

You can get all the gory details here.

I wonder what the DoJ take will be on this.

[Viin]

People still use Blockbuster and Hollywood Video? Oh. I thought those were closed in the early 2000's. Doesn't everyone use Netflix these days?

[Ardent]

Netflix is wonderful.

Blockbuster can choke it down and die in a fire fueled by unletterboxed copies of Martin Laurence movies, since that's all they carry.

[geldonyetich]

I've got one of those Blockbuster game passes, but the game selection in the local Blockbuster is lacking.   So, for me, this merger means one of the following:

1. Blockbuster's bought Hollywood video's game selection and therefore the local branch will have more.

2. My Blockbuster card will start working at Hollywood videos, there I can take advantage of the Hollywood video's better game selection.

3. Blockbuster continues to have an inferior game selection because this has proven an edge that allowed it to defeat it's competitor.

Hmm.   Just what I need, more suspence.

[Shockeye]

Blockbuster can choke it down and die in a fire fueled by unletterboxed copies of Martin Laurence movies, since that's all they carry.

Actually Blockbuster changed their policy awhile back to only carry the widescreen version of movies if there's a choice.

[Riggswolfe]

Oh my God. Not another damn mo...

Oh, this thread is about Blockbuster. Carry on.

[stray]

I hope Blockbuster's offer is denied. Their selections are crap compared to Hollywood. At least around here. Hollywood has more DVD's, more games (as well as a gameshop within), more indie and foreign flicks, more specialty rentals (like concerts or animation)...Hell, they even a better selection of candy and popcorn.

I think there's a good chance of this not happening. Hollywood and Blockbuster are the only real players in this market atm. Netflix is not big enough (yet) to keep Blockbuster from becoming a monopoly. In fact, if they let this happen, Netflix would be next.

[Soukyan]

Since there isn't a Blockbuster or Hollywood movie rental place within a 15 mile radius of me, I don't bother renting from either. Sometimes I rent from the local grocery store's video shop, but it's rare. I have to check out this Netflix thing everyone keeps mentioning.

[Paelos]

Netflix is the end all be all way to rent movies. If you watch one movie a week, it will earn its keep in your monthly fee. Plus no late fees.

[HaemishM]

Netflix is wonderful.

Blockbuster can choke it down and die in a fire fueled by unletterboxed copies of Martin Laurence movies, since that's all they carry.

What you said. Blockbuster can suck it.

Netflix is da bomb, y0.

[WayAbvPar]

I haven't rented a movie in over 4 years. I see what I want in the theatre, and purchase the ones I miss when they come out on DVD. If my in laws beat us to the purchase, we borrow their copy. It is a good system =)

Hollywood>>>Blockbuster, at least back when I was a renter.

[Shmtur]

I haven't rented a movie in over 4 years. I see what I want in the theatre, and purchase the ones I miss when they come out on DVD. If my in laws beat us to the purchase, we borrow their copy. It is a good system =)

Hollywood>>>Blockbuster, at least back when I was a renter.

I only have personal experience to go on here (worked 2 years at a local BB), and from that I can say that 1)our local BB's went in a downward spiral in the last 4 or 5 years in terms of selection, and after that business.  Both the BB and Hollywood right by each other lost about a third to half their business when a Family Video opened up right in between.  Both chains are just waiting for a strong competitor to come into place - right now they don't give people what they want.

Netflix is good and all, but that won't work for everyone, some people prefer to pick out movies without a set choice in mind when they start looking (or walk in the door, whatever) and it's a lot more entertaining to browse a brick and mortar than it is an online list.

[Roac]

Renting is cheaper than Netflix for me, since we don't rent that many a month, and it's dirt cheap (something like < $2/rental), and that's not counting other promotions.

I hope Blockbuster gets told to back off.  The move isn't something that would help the customer (me) any.