Four major film studios, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros and Fox, have announced the plans which permit new releases to hit living rooms within weeks after coming out in theaters. Learning that the plan will apparently decrease their revenue, NATO, which represents U.S. cinema owners including Regal Entertainment and AMC, is fuming.
"Let's say you're Regal Cinemas and it's a busy weekend with a couple of big pictures opening," NATO Chief Executive John Fithian stated to Financial Times. "If it's 50-50 between this picture and that picture and you have a partner that respects your [business] model and another one that doesn't, you're going to give the screen to the partner that respects your model."
The VOD plans were announced after the film studios claimed that the four-month wait between a film's release into theaters and its release to Blu-Ray version is too long. The period is seen declining the DVD sales, although it helps defeat film piracy.
However, The Guardian reported that not all studios agree with the VOD plans. Paramount Pictures has reportedly expressed opposition to the plan, despite the fact that the studio concerned over internet piracy.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" is directed by David Yates, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Ralph Fiennesreprising their roles. Kelly Macdonald is recently added to the cast ensemble to portray Helena Ravenclaw. The movie is slated to come out in U.S. theaters on July 15.