DirecTV to Show Movies 10 Weeks After Theatrical Release

DirecTV says it will offer a 48-hour rentals of Sony Corp.’s movie “Just Go With It” for $29.99 just 10 weeks after the movie’s theatrical release. That test of a shorter release window and the new pricing point will test consumer demand for such earlier-release products.

Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox will also supply films to the service eight weeks after their theatrical release, Jade Ekstedt, a spokeswoman for El Segundo, California-based DirecTV said.

Studios, which are looking to the new release format to counter shrinking DVD sales revenue, won't get fans among theater owners, who fear that viewers will shift some amount of theater attendance to the new TV release window. The $30 fee might seem steep, but studios and DirecTV are betting that such movie buys will be seen as an alternative to taking a whole family to the theater. In other cases the total cost of theater viewing, which includes babysitting and concessions, might be quite a lot more expensive than $30, even for one or two viewers.

DirecTV Starts Premium Film Rentals at $29.99 for 48 Hours - Bloomberg