Letterboxd, the social film discovery platform, will launch a new digital video store in early December. This feature will allow users to rent movies directly on the platform without navigating away. The company first announced the video store in March during the Cannes Film Festival but did not provide a specific launch date at that time.
The new service, called Video Store, will feature a range of films. Its selection will include festival standouts that have not yet been widely distributed, films that are frequently watchlisted by users but have been largely unavailable, recent restorations, and other special limited-time releases.
Launching a video store is a natural evolution for Letterboxd. A key advantage of renting from Letterboxd, compared to platforms like Apple or Amazon, is its social discovery features. If you see a friend has logged a movie, you can read their review and decide to rent it immediately.
The movie selection will be based on what members actually want to watch, using data from the platform’s watchlists and user activity. This approach will make the selection feel more curated than the random mix offered by some streaming services.
Letterboxd has not yet announced the initial lineup of films or specific rental prices. The company stated that rental availability and costs will vary by location. The platform will not operate on a subscription model, and there will be no late fees.
The new video store will be compatible with iOS and Android devices, as well as Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, and AirPlay. Support for additional smart TV apps is planned for a later date.
Since its acquisition by Canadian firm Tiny for approximately fifty million dollars in 2023, Letterboxd has been actively updating its platform to improve discovery for movie fans. The company recently introduced Featured Lists, which help users discover movie collections organized by genre, studio, and themes like female directors. Last year, the company also upgraded its search functionality to be more advanced, enabling it to understand acronyms and correct misspellings.