Major studios pushing to release films in homes shortly after cinemas
They could be available as soon as a couple of weeks after theatrical release
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Aware of the demand among some consumers to watch new films for the first time on VOD rather than in cinemas, six of the seven biggest studios are closing in on deals to drastically shorten the time between theatrical and digital release.
The plan, according to Variety, is that viewers would pay more to catch films at home early, with some of the extra revenue being passed on to exhibitors to compensate for the drop in cinema attendance.
Standard practice is that films are available to rent and buy 90 days after release, but an initial proposal from Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara would have them drop after just 17 days.
Fox and Universal apparently felt that his suggested $50 (£40) price for this was too steep, and the studios are now negotiating a compromise between length of delay after cinema release and price.
Lionsgate, Paramount and Sony are also all in the mix, talking to exhibitors like AMC, Regal and Cineplex, but not Disney, whose films (Beauty and the Beast, Rogue One, Marvel stuff) tend to lend themselves better to a traditional theatrical release.
Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have added a sense of urgency to these talks, now frequently putting out movies with A-list talent via VOD.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments