In a move with potentially huge ramifications for the movie business, four major studios have agreed to launch a premium video-on-demand service with DirecTV. The service, called Home Premiere, will cost $30 for movies that were in theaters two months ago. Here are more details from Variety:
Warner Bros., Sony, Universal and 20th Century Fox are the first studios that have agreed to launch Home Premiere as the official brand under which the industry will offer up movies to rent for $30 two months after their theatrical bows for a viewing period of two to three days, depending on the distributor.
If the service is popular and similar deals are made with other providers, movie theaters stand to lose a lot of business. This also makes things more difficult for Netflix, Amazon, Apple iTunes, and other digital movie rental services.
While $30 seems like a lot of money, it’s actually a decent deal. Movie theater tickets costs more than $10 each, food at theaters is incredibly overpriced, and there are often idiots at theaters (talkers, people that leave on their phones, etc.). For a family outing or a parents’ night out (babysitters cost $), Home Premiere could be a lot cheaper than the movies. It also offers the convenience of privacy and eating your own food.
What do you ladies and gents think of Home Premiere? Would you be interested in the service or one like it? Kindly take today’s poll and discuss!
[poll id=”109″]
So let me get this straight before I confirm my hell no. For 30 bucks I can watch a movie that LEFT the theaters 2 months ago? Whats a normal theater to DVD release?
The idea — if it works — is too add more time before the movie comes out on disc. Not sure consumers will go for it, but if more cable and satellite companies roll out similar plans then it might become common.
They are only doing this for movies that flop initially. Something like Inception wouldn't be available.
I'd only pay $20-$30 for same day release.
hell no.
I second that motion.
-M
yeah third that motion too
I thought the whole point of a 'parents' night out' was actually getting out of the house?
If I pay $30 for a movie that I'm watching at home, it means A. it's mine to keep and B. it better be the Special Extended Deluxe Super-Bonus 5 1/2 disc Blu-ray (complete w/ collectible 6'' action figure of the main character).
So, I guess my answer's no.
@Iceman & Nightshade
You should consider the fact you are paying for 3 tickets. Well Iceman will eventually.
No piss smell
No asshole kids
Cleaner at home
No seats kicked
Invite ppl over and it's an even better bargain.
This is only appealing to me if it's same day release for any movie. I have a nice setup at home that a movie theater doesn't compete with aside from screen size. I'd do this if the selection was good.
I barely go to the movies anyway. So to me, I'd rather just wait and pay the cheapy rental.
@Nightshade
That said it's still a better option than the traditional theater model IF you would like to see something current. I wait for Netflix now, continuing to do so won't bother me but a new release option like this is appealing as well
Ultimately, I'm the only one I know with DirecTV, but I also live a lot farther away from my friends then they're typically willing to drive just to watch a movie. So it's not something I see myself getting good value out of.
@nightshade
Compare the value of this with the price of 2 or 3 tickets. Even for a family that size the price is a lateral move.
Not arguing the "value" other than I wouldn't get any use out of it.
Understood.
Ironically, I was the store manager of a Blockbuster for 3 years and it seemed like no one ever asked me about movies I actually wanted to see. I eventually came to keeping an Magic 8 Ball by my register so when somebody would ask me questions like, "Have you seen Scary Movie 3? Is it any good?" I could be like, "I haven't seen it but…..(shakeshakeshake)….my sources say no."
im with smartguy, i would consider a same day release, and id have lots of friends over to the cave…its still a big HELL NO at this point though
Ditto.
$30 can be a great value, but two months is too long considering that most movies are available on disc within three months. The movie business doesn't want to piss off theaters too much…yet.
This could be a great value…but I already hate going out to a movie theater anyways and don't do it unless my fiance drags me out to see something. Even then it wouldn't do much good to have something on there that was in theaters two months ago. That's the reason we have movie theaters—to see the movies asap. If there is any waiting period involved at all then the original purpose seems null and void to me. Perhaps something in the delivery method or time period between releases will change and force me to reconsider, but I don't see a whole lot of value in something like this for me.
Later in life this could be a great value with having kids, or a family in general. I could also see something like this being a hit on a college campus in the apartments where you have roommates pitching in to get something like this.
For me… This is an awesome value!
Why, because I don't have DirecTV. So… I'll be downloading the DVR'ed copies via methods that ARRRR not exactly endorsed.
no