Letterboxd will launch its new movie rental feature in December

Social movie discovery platform Letterboxd is set to launch a new digital video store in early December, allowing users to rent movies directly on the platform. The company first announced the film in March during the Cannes Film Festival, but did not give a specific release date at the time.

In a recent blog postthe company shared more details about its “Video Store,” which will feature a range of movies. The selection will include “festival highlights” that have not yet been widely distributed, films that have not been widely available but are often on users’ watchlists, recent restorations and other limited-time special releases.

Launching a video store seems like a natural progression for Letterboxd, allowing users to rent movies instantly without having to leave the platform. One of the key advantages of renting from Letterboxd, compared to other established platforms like Apple or Amazon, is the social discovery capabilities. If you notice that a friend has recorded a movie, you can see their review and decide to rent it right away.

Movie selection will also be based on what members actually want to watch, using data from watchlists and platform activity. Rather than offering a random mix like some streaming services, the selection will be more curated.

Letterboxd has yet to announce its initial movie lineup or rental prices, but the company said users can expect rental availability and cost to vary by location. In particular, the platform will not operate on a subscription model and there will be no late fees.

The new feature will be compatible with iOS and Android devices, as well as Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast and AirPlay, with additional smart TV apps coming later.

Since its acquisition by Canadian company Tiny for approximately $50 million in 2023, Letterboxd has been actively updating its platform to improve discovery for moviegoers. Recently, it introduced “Selected listswhich helps users discover collections of films organized by genre, studio and topics such as female directors. Last year, the company also upgraded search functionality to be more advanced, able to understand acronyms and even correct spelling mistakes.