The New York Times Company is in exclusive talks to acquire Letterboxd, the film-logging and review platform, for about US$330m, the Times reported on 5 November 2026, citing two people familiar with the matter. Reuters reported the talks the same day.
Why The New York Times Company is buying Letterboxd
According to the reports, the Times would integrate its advertising technology with Letterboxd's systems, while Letterboxd, which has about 30 million users and is particularly popular with younger film fans, would likely keep operating as a standalone site. A deal would extend the publisher's push beyond news after The Athletic, Wirecutter and Wordle.
Deal terms and financing
The reported price is more than 20 times Letterboxd's projected 2026 earnings of about US$15m. The parties have discussed keeping founders Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow in charge, reporting to a Times executive.
Regulatory approvals and timing
No agreement has been reached and the talks could still fall apart, according to the reports. The New York Times declined to comment.
Market context
Letterboxd's parent has worked with investment bank LionTree on a possible sale. Film studios A24 and Sony had been prospective buyers, but A24 dropped out as price expectations rose, Reuters reported. TheWrap had reported earlier that bids were expected to exceed US$300m.
