Video Business is reporting that Fox will be shortening the high-def DVD and video-on-demand release window to just 60 days after the theatrical release, eliminating the traditional window staggering the releases.
The news comes just three weeks before Mark Cuban makes his revolutionary debut of Steven Soderbergh's Bubble in 20 of Cuban's Landmark theaters on Jan. 27 [Netflix on Jan. 31st], nearly simultaneous with the premiere of the movie on the high-def HDNet Movies channel and on DVD on Jan. 31.
This is the latest blow to theaters and another vote of confidence for video-on-demand. Will the theatrical and DVD release windows be combined for most movies this year?
Thanks to Hanley for sending this in.
Simultaneous release is a good thing for movie lovers.
I have no sympathy for the plight of theaters. If theaters want to survive as an industry, they need to adapt and come up with fresh ideas that will make people WANT to keep coming. I hope that they do.
Posted by: Chris Coyier | January 09, 2006 at 10:34 AM
I understand the strategy will be to get the VOD and high def DVD out there quickly and but keep the standard DVD release schedule at the current interval.
That makes a lot of sense and will help spur adoption of VOD and High Definition DVD.
Shorter intervals for standard DVD make no sense and they won't be doing that.
This is great news. Give me my VOD in 60 days and I will ve very happy!
Posted by: StL | January 09, 2006 at 12:02 PM
I was reminded a few days ago of the rude interruptions I have witnessed in the past when watching a movie in a theater. I had picked up my granddaughter and her friend from a movie, and when I asked her how she liked the show, she replied that it was kind of boring because, "we were so hyper." Tell me they weren't disruptive. The clincher was her telling me about her cell phone ringing at 2 different times during the movie. She "finally" decided to turn it off. Such problems will not disappear as long as theaters are the baby sitters for 13 year olds, but to place age limits on movie patrons would likely be the death knell of the industry.
Going to the theater is a social event for many patrons, so it will be interesting to see how "on-demand" flicks affect theater attendance.
Posted by: E. Craig Crawford | January 09, 2006 at 12:43 PM
Na-na-na-na... Na-na-na-na... hey, hey... good-bye! It's been nice knowing you, movie theaters! $9.50 for a movie and another $10 for a drink and popcorn... Out of control ankle-biters... Teeny-boppers yappin' on their cell... Overweight white-trash stinking up the place? Ghetto-boyz pimpin' their beeyatches in the aisles... And the theaters seem to be oblivious to these problems that continue to grow and drive away an exponential amount of movie-goers.
Posted by: SykoBoy | January 09, 2006 at 01:24 PM
High-definition goes out first, then regular DVD and VOD go at the same time at a later date than hi-def (at least that is the way the article reads from Video Business Online.
The beginning of the article:
LAS VEGAS--20th Century Fox is developing a plan to release its movies in high-definition just 60 days after theatrical release, according to News Corp. president-COO Peter Chernin.
Giving a keynote address at an invitation-only dinner here Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show, Chernin said Fox also is preparing plans to make movies available via video-on-demand simultaneously with their release on DVD--the first time a major studio chief has committed to eliminating the traditional window between home video and VOD.
Chernin said Fox has not yet determined the delivery platform for the newly created high-def window between theatrical distribution and home video release. High-definition can be delivered via cable, satellite, the Internet and soon digital discs.
Posted by: Rick H | January 09, 2006 at 03:21 PM
This is much less of a blow to theaters as it is a blow to movie renters, especially in-store renters like BB. Now that you can get new releases on demand at the same time you could normally get them from stores/Netflix, there's even less of a reason to drive to Blockbuster. I think I did a pretty good job of point this out here. (Mike, sorry for posting a link to my own blog on yours, but I figured it would be better than pasting in the entire post! -00S)
Posted by: Doube-oh Steven | January 09, 2006 at 03:22 PM
Ah, no linky. That's fine. If anyone has the inclination to check, they can click on my name. Cheers.
Posted by: Doube-Oh Steve | January 09, 2006 at 03:23 PM
I wonder if someone could post the numbers.
VOD of HD may not be a slam dunk.
How big are movies in HD? What sort of download times will
these have?
Will even the new disk formats be able to hold all of a film?
How will DRM be handled?
I think that video rental will be around for a while. ...now theatres
may have a tough row to hoe, but I for one would hate to see them
go away altogether, as there is something more immersive about the
theatre experience (modulo the kids, phones, etc) that home theatres
are going to lack.
....even if it is just a side-effect of the viewer not being in full
control of the experience. Odd that this might be proposed as a
positive feature of the theatre experiece, but I am so proposing.
I would love to finish "Dumb and Dumber" some day, but it is so
totally stupid that it makes my teeth hurt and I eventually surf
away during a commercial! ;0)
Posted by: PlungeBob | January 09, 2006 at 05:36 PM
steven, blockbuster and Netflix by-mail will be in exact same boat -- one with increased competition from cheaper and faster methods.
Actually stores will have an slight edge over "by-mail" as this system comes into play over the next few years.
Posted by: Olie | January 10, 2006 at 09:28 AM