Is the cinephile’s diary actually welcoming telephiles to its table?
Illustration by Kamaal Samuel, Illustrator
Though Letterboxd’s DNA was created with the culture of cinema in mind, its next chapter could be episodic.
Created by co-founders Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow, Letterboxd debuted in late 2011, serving as an online diary for movie lovers to keep track of the films they’ve seen. The app later expanded to include ratings, reviews, watchlists, etc.
But, I’m not here to tell you what Letterboxd is. If you’re reading this, then I’m sure you’re very familiar already.
I understand the dedicated and streamlined experience of only having films (and some miniseries) available on the app, but maybe there really is a way for both film and television to coexist.
Letterboxd has spoken about this potential change many times, even sharing a post on X saying that the option to log series would be added later in the year (2024), but this statement didn’t ring true.
Even so, the alleged renovation is still in the air, and now seems to be in motion.
With an account login, you can access Letterboxd’s user feedback channel, Nolt, a space for the platform to share potential app updates and where users can vote in support or against them.
At the top of the list:
There, in the bottom left corner, is an orange circle that reads “in progress,” reporting that developers are actively taking steps to add shows.
But there may be a problem.
Buchanan and Randow are no longer running the show, as Canadian holding company Tiny joined as a majority (60%) shareholder in 2023.
However, a report from Semafor says Tiny is on the hunt to find a new owner for the app. They even sought out The Ankler in 2025, but didn’t move forward with the deal because they couldn’t agree on sales terms.
I am not a businesswoman, but I think it’s safe to assume that a potential sale could shape the future of Letterboxd updates — if Tiny does end up selling their company shares.
I’ve seen plenty of comments online about whether or not users even want this addition. Some users don’t want anything to change, but in the era of streaming, people are used to sitting down and binge-watching their favorite shows.
Why wouldn’t they get the same joy out of logging their favorite episodes as they do movies?
There is an honorable mention for Serializd, which is already providing a platform to track episodes, or Chapman students’ new creation, “Reelate,” which features both film and television.
I support the change only if the app stays uncluttered by creating a “TV” dropdown tab or something adjacent, to avoid the platform becoming an eyesore.
But other media rating apps certainly are not Letterboxd, which is why I am ultimately in favor of the push to have both forms of entertainment join together in one app.