This seems desperate, a throw it up against the wall strategy to boost stagnant ticket sales and plummeting DVD purchases. If you want to see a movie thirty bucks-bad, wouldn’t you go to the theatre? And if you can wait, why not wait another 30 to 60 days and pay nothing on Netflix or $4.99 on PPV? There will likely be a small market among the very wealthy who don’t see a statistical difference between $30 and $5, people who would buy this, but will it be enough to offset the start up, maintenance, and advertising costs? Smarter people than me are obviously involved in the planning and launch, but smarter people than me came up with this.

Hollywood Reporter:

Narrowing the theatrical window, four Hollywood studios and DirecTV will launch a pricey premium VOD service at the end of April, followed swiftly by Comcast and VUDU. Consumers will be able to see a movie 60 days after its release in theaters.

The move is sure to irk exhibitors, and comes just as studios and theater owners are in Las Vegas for CinemaCon.

Warner Bros., Fox, Sony and Universal are all on board, according to insiders. The movies will be available for 48 hours for $29.99. The first titles to be offered are likely Sony’s Just Go With It, Fox’s Cedar Rapids and Warner Bros.’ Unknown.


Fox Searchlight titles will be offered 60 days from the date that they go wide.

More here.