This summer, Walmart plans to become the first retailer to offer advanced tickets to a major motion picture by selling nearly 1 million tickets for Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated Man of Steel.  The corporate juggernaut will offer said tickets in 3,700 of its stores, beginning at 8am on May 18^th.  The tickets will be for a June 13^th screening, and the film’s official stateside 3D release date is June 14^th.  By selling the tickets on May 18^th, audiences get a 3-4 day advance, as general ticket sales are slated for May 21^st or 22^nd. Man of Steel features a brilliant ensemble cast that includes Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Shannon, and Antje Traue.  Hit the jump for more information on the partnership. 

Walmart’s Man of Steel offer doesn’t just include advanced screening tickets.  Per Variety, “the ticket price will include a free code to pre-order a Blu-ray combo pack or HD digital download of Man of Steel, which will contain exclusive film content. They also will get a free original digital comic book penned by “Man of Steel” screenwriter David Goyer.” As a confirmation of their confidence in the film, the retail giant will also be offering a variety of film-based merchandise starting on April 28.  For those curious about how audiences can stay informed on the sales, Walmart will be promoting their deal via social networking sites Facebook and Twitter under the hashtag #SeeSteelFirst.

I think that Walmart is bold and innovative to test the waters with this partnership, and it could be extremely beneficial.  Given the increasingly unpredictable digital media environment that we inhabit, DVD sales have declined and movie theaters in general may even be in a precarious position.  Walmart’s partnership with Warner Bros. not only will likely help to increase box office tickets this summer, but if successful, it could lead to a long-term benefit of partnerships between film studios and retail businesses as a means of promotion.  Additionally, with the promo code package offer included with each ticket purchase, Walmart will also assist in the sale of DVD and Blu-ray copies for the film, which will no doubt strengthen that medium, as well as overall merchandise sales.  Both the studios and Walmart have expressed excitement over this partnership, and I am eager to see how it plays out.