YouTube users in the UK now can rent films on YouTube—the company has launched its movie rental service with thousands of films. 

Photo: YouTube

In May, YouTube made the service available for the US citizens, last month in Canada, now UK film lovers can rent new releases for £3.49 and older titles for between £2.49 and £3.49 from YouTube. And it already has the number one rental on the UK YouTube service—the movie ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop’ by popular street artist Banksy.

The blockbuster list includes such films as The Dark Knight, Lock, Stock and the Smocking Barrels and Reservoir Dogs. YouTube also offers many movies extras that include interviews with cast and crew, documentaries, behind-the-scenes clips as well as parodies and remixes. Viewers will be given a 30-day window to watch their film on YouTube, and 48 hours once they have started viewing it.

The move puts the Google-owned site in direct competition with Amazon’s LoveFilm, which has some 1.6 million customers in the UK and Europe, says The Guardian. LoveFilm makes new releases available to non-members for the same prices.

To launch the service, YouTube has signed UK-specific deals with Hollywood film companies including Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Universal and Lionsgate.

YouTube is now the most video website online, with more than 100 million unique monthly viewers, according to figures released by web metrics firm Nielsen in June.