WASHINGTON — Social media and the internet are in a frenzy hoping for a possible comeback for Blockbuster video, but it's probably a good idea to hit pause on those expectations.
A burst of nostalgia for the once-dominant video rental chain soared this week when fans realized its website, Blockbuster.com, was live and prominently featured the phrase: "We are working on rewinding your movie."
Fans on social media instantly began to speculate that Blockbuster Video, which once had 9,000 stores nationwide, could be staging a grand comeback or doing...something? No one seems to know for sure and the vague phrasing on the website may mean all sorts of possibilities.
It's important to note the website didn't just suddenly come back online. The "We are working on rewinding your movie" phrase has been there since at least last November, Wayback Machine's internet archives shows.
What's actually going on right now is anyone's guess. So let's rewind a bit. Dish Network acquired the Blockbuster brand in 2011 and has reportedly not responded to requests for comment about the recent website speculation.
The franchise's decline though is well-documented. Netflix started it with DVDs mailed right to customers' doorsteps. Then came streaming services. Now there remains just one last Blockbuster store in the world, located in Bend, Oregon. The "last Blockbuster" hasn't posted anything out of the ordinary on its social media accounts recently.
For what it's worth, the official Blockbuster Twitter account joked last week about a "new business idea" it had.
"We're going to come back as a bank and use VHS and DVDs as currency. Time to go visit your mom," the account tweeted.