Netflix crosses 5 billion DVD rentals with help from Elton John's Rocketman

The Elton John biopic Rocketman helped Netflix hit a major milestone Monday. The Taron Egerton-led film was the 5 billionth DVD title rented from the streaming giant, which got its start shipping movies through the mail long before consumers became addicted to binge-watching.

DVD Netflix, run by the Netflix subsidiary DVD.com, thanked subscribers on Twitter and posted a video celebration featuring a countdown that ended with cake and champagne.

“The most heartfelt thank you to our incredible members that have been with us for the past 21 years of DVD Netflix,” the tweet reads. “Five billion discs delivered is a huge milestone and we owe it all to our amazing members and team members.”

Although many commenters have expressed surprise that Netflix continues to send its little red branded envelopes to homes all over the United States, the venture continues to make money. The company reported that after a six-month period ending June 30, it had a total of 2.4 million DVD-by-mail subscribers, translating to $157 million in revenue.

Subscribers to Netflix’s DVD service also get access to titles not available to stream — Rocketman being just one example.

That said, Netflix’s DVD rentals are dwarfed by its streaming business, which boasts 60 million domestic subscribers and 91.5 million international subscribers during that same period, generating a combined $9.3 billion in revenue.

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