Movie Buffs Mourn the Loss of FilmStruck Streaming Service
Written by SOURCE on October 27, 2018
More than two years after its inception, the FilmStruck streaming service will cease operations.
Turner and Warner Bros. Digital Networks broke the news Friday and comes on the heels of AT&T taking control of WarnerMedia. Sources told Variety the decision to shut down the indie film streamer was made before the acquisition deal was finalized. As the outlet points out, the move appears to align with a reduction strategy that is doing away with niche offerings. Earlier this month, WarnerMedia announced it was shutting down the Korean streaming service DramaFever.
“We’re incredibly proud of the creativity and innovations produced by the talented and dedicated teams who worked on FilmStruck over the past two years,” Turner and WB Digital Networks said in a statement. “While FilmStruck has a very loyal fanbase, it remains largely a niche service. We plan to take key learnings from FilmStruck to help shape future business decisions in the direct-to-consumer space and redirect this investment back into our collective portfolios.”
Filmstruck stopped accepting sign-ups Friday and will officially shutter Nov. 29. Existing subscribers can go to the company’s official website for refund information.
It is unclear how many jobs will be impacted by the shutdown.
FilmStruck has become a favorite among cinephiles with an affinity for old, cult, and hard-to-find movies. Fans and industry insiders took to social media to mourn the service’s demise. Check out some of the responses below.
Like… I went into @FilmStruck a little under the weather and before taping anything received a homemade fennel and pea shoot soup, like… these were flesh and blood people who really, truly cared about the work they were doing and the people who made and appreciated film 😢💔
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) October 26, 2018
