Blockbuster Hell

Blockbuster Hell is a potential Netflix original 5-part web miniseries starring Willow Smith and Sean Giambrone. It was set in the summer of 1995 in a fictionalized version of Beverly Hills, California called Oak Hills. It will be premiered on August 7, 2021.

Summary

Two young teenagers spend their Summer in 1995 working at Blockbuster by their manager. They have to do something or else they'll get fired!

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Willow Smith as Willow DuVall, a stuttering 17-year-old teenager who is a clerk at Blockbuster.
• Seam Giambrone as Sean Novak Beauton, a 16-year-old friend of Willow's and her on-off boyfriend who also works as a clerk at Blockbuster. She did not only have parents that are named Phillip and Bernice, but also two older brothers, Stefan and Alex.
• Marsai Martin as Ivy Keller (parts 3-5; recurring parts 1-2), Willow's 13-year-old cousin who barely appears in flashbacks with Willow and Alex. In parts 3 through 5, she becomes a companion and assistant towards Willow.
• Kristen Li as Ramona Kim, a employee at Blockbuster and Leo's 16-year-old daughter.
• Jenna Ushkowitz as Alice Kim, Ramona's niece who works as an cashier.
• Noelle Sheldon as Mindy Janeway (parts 3-5; minor, parts 1-2), one of Ivy and Ramona's friend and the twin sister of Mandy. She is a tomboy who loves rock music, overalls, grunge and flannels.
• Cali Sheldon as Mandy Janeway (parts 3-5; minor, parts 1-2), one of Ivy and Ramona's friend and the twin sister of Mindy. She is a girly girl who loves floral dresses, scrunchies, slap bracelets, paper fortune tellers, and blowing bubblegum.
• Terry Crews as Abraham Oliver, the manager of Blockbuster who forces Alice, Ramona, Willow and Sean to work hard enough or he will fire them.ith Molly and being one of the customers at Blockbuster so Molly can rent a movie for Timothy.
• Jaden Smith as Alexander "Alex" DuVall (parts 1-2; guest, part 3; recurring, part 4; minor, part 5) is Willow's older brother who is often clueless about everything. He used to go to Blockbuster since 1990.
• Ken Jeong as Leonard "Leo" Kim (part 2; guest, parts 3-4), Ramona's mother and one of Alice's relatives.

Recurring cast

• Leigh Allyn-Baker as Diane Novak Beauton (part 1; guest, parts 2-4; minor, part 5) is Sean's mother. She gave birth to Sean when she was 23 years old. She works as a manager at Claire's.
• Isabella Gomez as Josefina Garay-Ibarra (part 5), a 17-year-old former clerk at Blockbuster from 1990.
• Bryana Salaz as Juanita Murga (part 5) an 18-year-old employee at Blockbuster from 1990.
• Odeya Rush as Alona Gestetner (part 5), an Israeli-born immigrant who is a former cashier at Blockbuster since 1990. Now she works at Limited Too where Molly and Timothy are the customers.
• Landry Bender as Martha "Elli" Elliott (parts 4-5; recurring part 3) is Willow's friend who knew her when she was in the 8th grade.
• Isabelle Fuhrman as Catherine Finnerity (parts 4-5; recurring part 3), Alona's friend who often works at Delia's as a clerk.
• Coby Bird as Collin Shelbert (parts 4-5; recurring part 3), Ramona's on-off autistic boyfriend. He usually wears cordless headphones to block out the noise. When he hears loud noises, he covers his ears and screams while stomping on the ground.
• Alex Hook as Judith "Judy" Buren (parts 3-4; recurring, part 5), a beautiful girly girl who is friends with Ramona.
• Glenna Walters as Melissa Gurtel (parts 3-4; recurring, part 5), Judy's overweight best friend who is obsessed with movies and pop music.
• Jacob Tremblay as Peter Janeway (parts 3-5; minor, parts 1-2), Mindy and Mandy's younger brother who is annoying, spoilt and manipulative.
• Emjay Anthony as David "Davey" Ward (part 4), Judy's boyfriend who went to see Clueless with her.
• Miya Cech as Molly Watanabe (minor, part 1), a Japanese-American girl who had immigrant ancestors. Her 3x great-grandmother was born in Japan, so she moved to Connecticut so she can give birth to her son.
• Lonnie Chavis as Timothy Schneider (minor, part 1), Molly's best friend-turned-on-off boyfriend.

List of episodes

1. "Part 1: Help Wanted" - On June 7, 1995, when Willow and Sean had their job as clerks for Blockbuster by Abraham, who is a manager, they find out to see that an employee named Ramona Kim has a niece who is a cashier; Alex works as a lifeguard for his own summer job.
2. "Part 2: Gum in the Bottle" - Ramona secretly puts her gum inside a water-filled water bottle, so she calls it a "gum in a bottle" as a "gift" for her niece, Alice; Willow and Sean spy on new customers in Blockbuster.
3. "Part 3: This is How We Do It" - Sean deals with his mother during his phone call with her; Mindy and Mandy are visited by Judy.
4. "Part 4: As If" - Ivy, Mindy and Mandy go see Clueless with Judy while Willow, Sean, Ramona and Alice go see Pocahontas.
5. "Part 5: I, Elliott" - Willow meets Elli Elliott, her friend since the 8th grade; Abraham reminisces the memories about how he first became a manager at Blockbuster back five years ago.

Soundtrack

NOTE: "I Know" by Dionne Farris can be heard in not only the second part of the teaser trailer and the final trailer, but also in the opening scene in Part 1.

Trailer

1. "This Is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan (heard once in the teaser trailer)
2. "I Know" - Dionne Farris (heard once in the first teaser trailer and the final trailer)

Part 1

1. "I Know" - Dionne Farris (heard once in the opening scene where Alex rides Willow to Blockbuster so she can have a job)
2. "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" - Nicki French (heard once where Ramona and Alice arrive)
3. "Scream" - Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson (heard once where Timothy and Molly enter Blockbuster)
4. "I Wanna Be Down" - Brandy (heard once where Mindy and Mandy are shown riding bikes)

Part 2

1. "Cotton Eye Joe" - Rednex (heard once on Ramona's walkman)
2. "Run-Around" - Blues Traveler (heard once where Ramona puts her ABC gum into her water bottle, which everyone on Blockbuster reacts in disgust)
3. "Waterfalls "- TLC (heard once in Blockbuster where Sean and Willow spy on new customers)
4. "On Bended Knee" - Boyz II Men (heard once where Alex is listening to the song on his walkman)

Part 3

1. "This Is How We Do It" - Montell Jordan (heard once while Mindy and Mandy enter Blockbuster)
2. "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)" - Monica (heard once where Judy calls Willow on the phone)
3. "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?" - Bryan Adams (heard once when Ramona gains a first crush on Collin)
4. "I'll Be There For You" - The Rembrandts (heard once on a February 1995 flashback when she is riding on her bicycle, sporting a Rachel haircut)
5. "Water Runs Dry" - Boyz II Men (heard once when Judy and Davey kiss)

Part 4

1. "Run Away" - Real McCoy (heard once when Ramona listens to the song on her walkman)
2. "Freak Like Me" - Adina Howard (heard once when Sean, Willow, Alice and Ramona go to the movie theater)
3. "Let Her Cry" - Hootie & The Blowfish (heard once where Ramona and Collin kiss)

Part 5

1. "No More I Love You's" - Annie Lennox (heard once when Willow and Sean kiss)
2. "Step by Step" - New Kids on the Block (heard once on a flashback on the summer of 1990 where Abraham hires Alona, Juanita, Josefina and Alex on Blockbuster)
3. "Vogue" - Madonna (heard once on a flashback on the summer of 1990 where Alona is sorting the VHS tapes in alphabetical order along with Jaunita, Josefina and Alex helping her)

Trivia

• This show is set in Oak Hills, Delaware and shot in Vancouver.
• The whole entire series take place in June 7, 1995 through August 16, 1995.
• Principal photography begisn at February 10, 2021 until July 1, 2021.
• The tagline for this miniseries is called "Welcome to '90s hell".
• The teaser poster shows Giambrone, Smith, Li and Ushkowitz are looking at the Blockbuster store with a sign that says "HELP WANTED" in daytime with the tagline "Coming soon to Netflix, welcome to '90s hell".
• The promotional poster shows shows Giambrone, Smith, Crews, Li, and of course, Ushkowitz putting her faces on the front door of Blockbuster with the tagline "Welcome to '90s hell".
• There will be a rumored spinoff called Blockbuster Hell: Seven Years Later, which was set in 2002, starring Caleb McLaughlin as Blockbuster clerk and Abraham's nephew, Steven Oliver, Zach Callison as Kevin Fine, Jennifer's cousin, Oona Laurence as Blockbuster clerk, Jennifer Fine, Jacob Hopkins as Blockbuster employee, Raymond Woodward,  Rowan Blanchard as Blockbuster cashier Christina "Chris" Hassad, and Wendi McLevon-Convey as Blockbuster manager and Raymond's mother, Enid Woodward.