20 Things You Didn't Know About Netflix

2. They Almost Partnered With Blockbuster

Captain Marvel Blockbuster
Marvel Studios

One of the most fascinating entertainment-related alternate history stories you'll ever hear, there's a dimension out there somewhere where Netflix is a division of Blockbuster, the deceased provider of DVD and video game rentals.

Twenty years ago - almost to the day - Reed Hastings had a meeting with Blockbuster personnel, having himself suggested a partnership. During the meeting, Hastings put forward a proposal: Netflix would become Blockbuster.com, and he would sell them a 49% stake in his company.

The basic idea was that Netflix would transform itself into Blockbuster's online service, but luckily (or unluckily, depending on who you ask), Blockbuster declined Hastings' offer.

Had the two companies merged, Blockbuster - in theory - would still be going strong today, sporting the power of a streaming service like Netflix. In reality, Netflix ventured out on its own, killing brick-and-mortar DVD rental stores with its convenient and affordable direct-to-consumer streaming model.

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for almost nine years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing for 10+ years, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers and uploading them to YouTube (they're admittedly a bit rusty by today's standards). If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order or to tell you about the making of 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, Danny is the person to ask.