FilmStruck is dead so you'll probably want to buy back those old DVDs

Turner Classic Movies’ FilmStruck was the thinking man’s streaming platform, a hub where you could fill the gaps in your film knowledge by browsing through the Criterion Collection or, as of earlier this year, Warner Bros.’ library of classic films. Sure, you weren’t going to find 12 seasons of Top Chef in its library, but where else were you going to watch old Kaijū flicks?

Unfortunately, Variety reports that Turner and Warner Bros. Digital Networks have announced that, as of November 29, FilmStruck’s U.S. and international operations will cease. They even issued an almost comically soulless statement on the decision. “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,” they said. “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.”

The decision comes as AT&T works to “streamline” WarnerMedia, an effort that also saw the shutter of video weirdos Super Deluxe last week. Variety quotes a source familiar with AT&T’s strategy as saying that “telco is looking to eliminate peripheral projects that aren’t major producers of revenue.”

The Criterion Collection used to be exclusively hosted on Hulu before migrating to FilmStruck. Where it goes now is anybody’s guess.