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THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Set Visit Preview and 4 Awesome New Posters!Warner Bros. to Release Films on Premium VOD Service 60 Days after Theatrical Release
by Matt Goldberg Posted:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:45 am
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Warner Bros. is taking a bold move by announcing that they’ll release their films through a premium video-on-demand (VOD) service only 60 days after the movie first hits theaters. The typical release window is 90 days although studios have been experimenting to see just how quickly they can turn the film out of theaters and into consumer’s homes. Time Warner head Jeff Bewkes tells Variety that Warner Bros. will launch their premium VOD service sometime in the second quarter of 2011. Bewkes didn’t provide any more details on the service. However, he did say that the company was re-evaluating its 28-day release window on making its movies available to Netflix and Redbox. It’s possible that Warner Bros. may increase the fees it charges those companies. Bewkes also didn’t say if this VOD service would support the studio’s 3D movies to 3DTVs.
So how much would you pay to see a movie on-demand only two months after it had hit theaters? Does it depend on the movie? Sound off in the comments section.
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I remember reading an article somewhere that the studios were thinking of releasing the same day for a $35-45 day cost. I would for sure go for something like that since you could get some friends over and split the cost. I pay about $10-14 per ticket now so every theater visit costs me about $25-35 with online fees. While I would still go to see something like The Dark Knight Rises in theaters (saw TDK like 4 times), if something like The Fighter were offered in this format I would do it if the price is right.
That being said, 60 days makes no sense at all. Why pay more to see a movie 60 days out when you can just wait another 30 days and pay the regular price or get it thru the mail. If I can wait 60 days, I can wait 90, and I’m betting the kind of people that rather download a movie can wait too. This idea will fail.
I imagine they’ll eventually end up releasing the films the same day complete with the extra stuff you usually get on Blu-Ray, because it’s the only way to combat piracy…not sure how happy the theater managers will be about that, but I doubt theater attendance will dissipate sometime soon.
Anyhoo, 60 days is about the same time new movies start being made available to hotels and airlines, so nothing really revolutionary, here…just wider distribution.
I think its a ridiculous idea. Sure, you will have a few diehards that will pay more to see it the first second they can but the vast majority will just wait. They keep releasing movies on dvd sooner and sooner than they ever did before. There are so many movie options out there that I will gladly wait for Netflix to send it to me for no additional cost.
If I had any suggestions, how about lowering theater ticket prices so I can actually afford to see it during its theatrical run. Hollywood, you would still make far more money off of me in the theater than debating when to get it to me at a fraction of the price at home.
It all depends on the film, and the price. For example, I can’t go to every single summer blockbuster or I’d go broke. I pick out the biggies. in summer 2011 things like Green Lantern and Hangover II are not as high on my list. I’d watch them at home. Other non WB things that I want to see, (but not compared to say Cowboys & Aliens, Pirates, Potter, and Transformers) are Thor and Captain America. Now if my friends and I could rent them in HD (and their proper aspect ratio) for about 25 bucks or so, then the cost of that goes down when divided by 3.
Either do simultaneous release or put bouncers in the theatres. I would pay extra to see ingrates get hauled out by their shorts.
I love movies, but a movie better look unique and exceptional before I’ll make a trip to the theatre (aka Black Swan, Sucker Punch). And then I’ll go on a Sunday when all the degenerates are sleeping off their hangovers.
I’m not paying that kind of money to listen to people talk on their cell phones, or to each other. The behavior in theatres is ridiculous. so I just plunked down the money I saved on a serious home setup. Now the picture is just as good (if not as big), and the sound is probably better.
And even though I now own a 3DTV, I won’t pay a dime extra for 3D, nor do I care if a movie is in 3D or not.
I think that this is Hollywood’s way of avoiding “Making Better Movies”. If more movies were like The King’s Speech or The Dark Knight (obviously popular movies) people would go to the theater more often. But Hollywood no longer knows how to make a good movie.
Just release them on video earlier, then people will watch. That’s the logic. Try making movies that people really love and then the theaters will fill back up…but that might require Hollywood to give some credit to writers, and they hate that. They’d rather remake a successful foreign film like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and then sucker us in with promises of early “Premium On Demand” release schedules. Why not just offer a free Car Wash with every ticket purchased. That will make people watch more movies.