Netflix is adapting a series set in a Blockbuster video store, something that’s a bit paradoxical. The show, called “Blockbuster,” is packed with a variety of talent, including Latinas Melissa Fumero and Olga Merediz.
Netflix provided a first look of the series, including photos and a synopsis. “Timmy Yoon (Randall Park) Is an analog dreamer living in a 5G world. And after learning he is operating the last Blockbuster Video in America, Timmy and his staff employees -- including his long time crush, Eliza (Melissa Fumero) -- fight to stay relevant. The only way to succeed is to remind their community that they provide something big corporations can’t: human connection.”
Melissa Fumero is one of the show’s leads and is mostly known for her work in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” where she played the role of Amy Santiago over the course of eight seasons. Other Latinos in the cast include Olga Merediz, who has an extensive career and was recently featured in “In The Heights” and “Encanto,” and Tyler Alvarez, who’s young and has been featured in films and TV shows like “Crush,” “Never Have I Ever,” and “Orange Is the New Black.”
“Blockbuster” was created by Vanessa Ramos and was inspired by the real story of the last functioning Blockbuster store in America, located in Bend, Oregon.
In its heyday, Blockbuster was the largest video rental store in the world, having many locations in the US and in different countries. In 2010, the company filed for bankruptcy, likely due to the influence of the internet and the rise of streaming, which rendered video rental stores obsolete.
