YouTube, the video-sharing Web site of Google Inc. (GOOG), is adding around 3,000 new movie titles for rent available to users in the U.S., according to an announcement by Salar Kamangar, Head of YouTube.

The movie titles will be accompanied by reviews and behind-the-scenes movie extras, Kamangar said in a letter posted in YouTube's official blog site. "Whether it's short movie trailers, funny movie parodies or full-length blockbuster films, we encourage you to sit back and settle in to the YouTube movies experience."

Camille Hearst, Product Marketing Manager, said in a separate statement on May 9, "Today, we're announcing another step in our goal to bring more of the video you love to YouTube: the addition of thousands of full-length feature films from major Hollywood studios available to rent in the US at youtube.com/movies. In addition to the hundreds of free movies available on the site since 2009, you will be able to find and rent some of your favorite films. From memorable hits and cult classics like Caddyshack, Goodfellas, Scarface, and Taxi Driver to blockbuster new releases like Inception, The King's Speech, Little Fockers, The Green Hornet and Despicable Me. Movies are available to rent at industry standard pricing, and can be watched with your YouTube account on any computer. The new titles will begin appearing later today and over the coming weeks to www.youtube.com/movies, so keep checking back."

Kamangar noted that videos posted on YouTube have a tune of 2 billion total views a day. "But you're spending just 15 minutes a day on YouTube, and spending five hours a day watching TV. As the lines between online and offline continue to blur, we think that's going to change."

YouTube Next

Kamangar said that YouTube is also bolstering its investment in the content that's already being viewed by hundred of millions of people on YouTube. Its 20,000+ partners -- folks like Machinima, Annoying Orange and Ryan Higa -- are producing original content for the web and commanding TV-size audiences for their own brand of programming.

"Through YouTube Next, we're helping fuel the creation of this type of content with initiatives like the YouTube Creator Institute and YouTube NextUp, following past initiatives like Partner Grants (which brought us Key of Awesome, creators of one of 2010's most-watched videos) and $1,000 B&H Photo credits. In the coming year, we'll bring even more content to YouTube. Building on the success of Partner Grants and YouTube NextUp, we'll help catalyze the creation of content by devoting even more resources to creators who you'll know from TV or Hollywood, and to existing YouTube partners who have already built loyal audiences on the site. Look out for more details on this in the coming months."