Blockbuster Signs Deal with Warner Bros. to Get New Releases on DVD Release Date

Blockbuster today announced that they have signed a deal with Warner Bros. that will give them a 28 day lead on Netflix and Redbox for new releases. 

"This new agreement reflects our strategy to be the only multi-channel provider for movies. We are excited to offer our customers the best home entertainment from Warner Bros., such as The Blind Side and Sherlock Holmes, with significantly greater availability in BLOCKBUSTER(R) Stores and through BLOCKBUSTER By Mail, as well as digitally through BLOCKBUSTER On Demand(R)," said James W. Keyes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Blockbuster Inc. "This agreement reinforces Blockbuster's position as the most convenient source for new movies, and we are pleased to offer our customers the opportunity to get hot new movies as soon as they are released. This gives Blockbuster a full four week lead before either kiosk or other subscription services can offer any Warner Bros. titles."

Blockbuster posted the following image on my Blockbuster Online queue today (they shipped The Blind Side to me yesterday):

 

Does this deal make you consider switching to Blockbuster, or are you willing to wait 28 days for new releases?

Thanks to Seth, Dion, and Michelle for sending this in.

Comments

[Freddy Paulino]

I have one question were is the extra streaming

movies warner bros promised netflix? there's

not many new titles from that studio added.

[Blueheel]

Lackluster Video is moronic. I'm standing by netflix because of a carefully built queue from the excellent recommendation and review system and because many high-demand new releases suck. If I wanted a store with 80 copies of Saw 20 or some such crap and none of what I really want to see then Lackluster would appeal.

[Rob Molecule]

Blockbuster Market Capitalization: $45M
Netflix Market Capitalization: $3.87B

[Kal Sostarecz]

Good article

http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/24/news/companies/blockbuster/index.htm?hpt=T2

[Marc Lius]

I keep my Blockbuster account active. One time I unexpectedly had to babysit my niece and she wanted to see the latest Ice Age. I was already out and the RedBox unit's in the store didn't have it but Blockbuster did. Another time we were in the middle of a season of Six Feet Under and decided we didn't want to wait 2-3 days for the next disk so...down to BB.

[Tom]

Blockbuster has been playing the features game with Netflix for *years*. Nothing new.

Total Access. Return-in-store for same-day shipment of another DVD. Blockbuster tends to carry multiple editions of the same movie (original, director's cut, director's 20-years-later recut). Netflix tends to carry only one -- the oldest and cheapest. (Usually, this is the crappy 1996 non-anamorphic release that's not subject to revenue-share and has been fully depreciated on the books.)

The problem is that every single one of these features costs Blockbuster extra money. Everything they do better than Netflix from the consumer's standpoint puts them deeper in the red. This is not the way to win.

[Brian]

Seems like things just keep getting worse for the WB release window situation, and this makes it even worse for BB and Netflix.

As a 1 out at a time, and the postal service threatening to take Saturday delivery away, and that I have watched 1 movie by mail in the last month, and the streaming content on Netflix keeps getting worse instead of better, I've lost 20 titles I wanted to watch instantly in the last 2 weeks, and 4 times that in the last month, BB is looking more appealing by the day and there is a retail store a stone's throw from where I type this.

Go ahead Netflix, continue to piss your advantges away to the competition. If I get one more pinch with your company, I'm gone.

[Crow550]

@Brian

Instant has gotten worse? Please give some examples. I'm just curious. What titles do you miss? What titles do you not like?

@Paulino

It's more from Warner & Newline which is now owned by Warner.

Check: http://feedfliks.com/streaming/coming-soon

As well as: http://www.thenowhereman.com/netflix/?ft=&fp=&fg=Warner+Home+Video&fc=&fs=&fe=&fm=All

[RJ55]

I am not surprised at the anti blockbuster comments, it is a netflix blog. and many of the comments are from netflix fanbois, netflix investors etc.

The fact is BB is WAY cheaper for BD, and Blockbuster accounts get new releases faster. If you have a blockbuster store somewhat nearby on the way to or from work or weekly errands it is a no brainer to have blockbuster account. And even if you don't have a BB nearby, you are better off having BB and netflix rather than a higher out at a time Netflix account.

I pay less than $20 and get about five BD films a month and about 15 non BD disks a month from BB.

I also have a $9 netflix account but I have found the streaming content to have gone down hill as wll. LOTS of my titles are gone from my cue and no longer available and 15 right now say "Unavailable after April 1"

Netflix was aggressive with streaming and added a lot at first, but their rate of adding new content has visibly slowed. Action new releases most recent has not changed in three weeks (still Pelham 123). Quite simply it is not the value it once was to a number of people.

I think the only people who will be served by BB going out of business (and I think we are three or four years away from that anyway) are netflix stock owners.

Everyone else, including and especially netflix subscribers, will get less service for a higher price when BB does goes out.

[Pat W]

I have some bad news for all of you. You can wish bad things on BB all you want, but if it wasn't for BB, you would be paying $25 by now for 3 out at a time at Netflix. BB is the reason Netflix lowered the rates from $21 to $17 for 3 at time. It is called competiion. BB is doomed, they cannot compete with that Business Model, and they will be gone for sure. They are going Bankrupt. As soon as that happens, watch the fees at Neflix sky-rocket. It is Guaranteed !! I have been renting films from Netflix and BB for 6 years, and you have no idea what you are in for.

[tyROBasaurus]

If BB offered streaming to my Xbox 360 or PS3, I would switch for a while. But alas, BB does not. This is the deal breaker for me.

[Tempus]

What difference does it really make? I love NF but the number of new releases I got from them within 28 days of release over the last 3 years have been exactly zero, not because I didn't try but because they never send them. I'm still waiting for movies that are 6 months old showing long waits. I now use BB and Redbox for new releases and NF for everything else.

[austin]

The last I heard the deal that Netflix made with the studios was going to be benifical for both parties. In return for Netflix waiting 29 days to release a movie the studios were going to allow the Company to stream more movies online. In addition Netflix received a discount on DVDs, which allows them to buy greater quantities.

It is only a matter of time before this business is 100% streaming. To pay $5 to on demand or Vudu to stream a movie is not reasonable. If Netflix can stream every movie for a reasonable monthly fee I am sure all those that switched to Blockbuster will come running back.

When NetFlix goes 100% streaming my recomendation is that they grandfather the monthly fees of those customers that remained loyal.

[Nicole]

i love Netflix and Redbox. i've always hated Blockbuster. but all i want is to watch movies when i want, and how i want, for a good price. i'll never completely switch to Blockbuster, but if they have something i want, i'm going to them. i'm sure most people who don't care where the movie is from will agree. NF and RB better step it up if they wanna stay in the game.

[matt]

Warner bros has been selling out left and right from the youtube music limitations to now giving blockbuster early releases.

It only afects my opinon on them and not on netflix.

I find myself suporting warner brothers more and more latly.

[Nomo Blockbuster]

Now that Blockbuster's 28-day advantage of having 'The Blind Side' is over, Netflix and Redbox will dominate once more. This will continue to happen in the weeks to come once Blockbuster loses its windows on movies, one at a time.

It's a bit ironic, when you think about it with 'The Blind Side' being Blockbuster's first major release under this window. In a way, Blockbuster can relate to 'The Blind Side' because the company turned a blind eye to what mattered most: caring service, great selection and quality. Blockbuster continues to have blinders on and that is why the company is suffering as a drain on our economy.

[yiğit korkmaz]

I can wait

[web]

If BB offered streaming to my Xbox 360 or PS3, I would switch for a while. But alas, BB does not. This is the deal breaker for me.

[health]

Warner bros has been selling out left and right from the youtube music limitations to now giving blockbuster early releases.

[tattoos]

It's a bit ironic, when you think about it with 'The Blind Side' being Blockbuster's first major release under this window. In a way, Blockbuster can relate to 'The Blind Side' because the company turned a blind eye to what mattered most: caring service, great selection and quality. Blockbuster continues to have blinders on and that is why the company is suffering as a drain on our economy.