chanster

From Wednesday's Wall Street Journal


Theater owners are expressing consternation about a plan by News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. to sell the DVD of its coming release, "From Justin to Kelly," just six weeks after the movie bows in theaters.

Fox's plan is increasing fears among theater operators that the exclusive window they have to show movies is shrinking as the DVD market becomes more important to the profitability of a movie. Typically, the DVD for a movie goes on sale about five months after the movie appears in theaters. But the window, which once averages six months, has been gradually shortening.....

But Fox movie-distribution executives have been telling theater operators in recent weeks that the studio plans to release the DVD in early August, causing some major theater chains around the country to balk at booking the movie in theaters.....

Theater operators object to Fox's plan on "From Justin to Kelly" because it could make themselves vulnerable to comply with similar terms from other studios on movies in the future. They are worried the precedent could embolden the studios to adopt the strategy one day on a big "franchise" movie.

Rogue588

You mean they didn't go with their original plan of handing them out as that one guy that went to see it left the theatre..?

Shame..

Continuing on that track..

Perhaps this is the excuse that theatre owners are using to "balk at booking the movie"...?

Wait...one more...

I guess Fox figured that the one weekend [and i'm being generous here] that this dreck will be in theatres wasn't enough and they still wanted it to be a "summer" movie...?

Ok. Ok. Lemme stop.

I will say one thing...i'm hoping Kelly does the usual cross-promotional FHM/Stuff/Maxim magazines [which'll probably sell more than the DVD...]

...that girl got a nice backside..

Rypro 525

Good, this might be a good excuse for me not to see this in theaters. My girl friend is a big american idol fan but I'm just a cassual watcher, and have been dreading this movie.

Jackskeleton

In before R_S...

anyhow. This sounds like fox's best bet. They do realize that if they waited the six months to release it on dvd like any normal film that the interest would be dead since there is no new American Idol to hype it up with. This will also show that the fad is something that fox wants to cash in on as soon as possible.

Anyhow. this is scary for the theaters as they make the majority of their profit from the films later weeks take in and if fox is eating that up with dvd sells.. this could be a bad sign for theater chains.

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by Jackskeleton
Anyhow. this is scary for the theaters as they make the majority of their profit from the films later weeks take in and if fox is eating that up with dvd sells.. this could be a bad sign for theater chains.

I think the industry's been heading this way for some time now...most movies open BIG then drop BIG the following week or two. Pretty soon the films are going to be in theatres for only one month the way things are going..

It's sad. I remember back in 81 when Raiders came out..our local newspaper had a big ass blurb "Number One Movie For 18 Weeks!" I don't think it's amazing that it was number one, just that it played for 18 weeks.

Then again, there was less output from Hollywood back then..so I guess i'm just waxing nostalgic..

ps...what's "R_S..."?

Groucho

Actually, that one guy (mcbg1) has already seen the film.

das Monkey

In before the "STFU."

On topic, while the theatrical window has been narrowing, I imagine this is more indicative of the marketing strategy American Idol related products have had than anything else.

das

Kal-El

R_S=Rocky Stallone if I'm not mistaken.

to the promotional tie-ins.

fumanstan

Good idea for this kind of movie for Fox. I definatly agree with keeping up the fad as long as it can. Personally, i think the movie is going to end up a mild success. I know i won't see it, but i saw a clip of it and it didn't seem so bad. Looked like a modern day musical in the same vain of early hollywood musicals.

Dr. DVD

This is either a sign of things to come in the future with DVD, or is indicative that this movie is baaaadddd.

Dr. DVD

Pics?

mcbg1

This isn't true, the DVD release date has been pushed back for another 6 weeks, so 3 months after the theatrical release :

Fox rethinks 'Idol' film's vid window
In an effort to ensure that its theatrical run would be played in the
nation's largest theater chains, 20th Century Fox Studios has moved its
home video window of the "American Idol" movie "From Justin to Kelly" back
six weeks after numerous theatrical exhibitors balked at the original
video date, which was scheduled six weeks after the theatrical debut on
June 13.

Mr. Hollywood

mcbg1

By the way, Kelly is #27 on this year's Maxim Hot 100 women woohoo

mcbg1

And seriously those of you who have doubts about this movie, I can see why you would think that but don't worry, go see it with an open mind and you'll have a great time.

The choregraphy and the music are great and the acting/love plot is not bad.

I'm a big Kelly Clarkson fan but when I see a good movie, I know to give it props.

Jackskeleton

What's R_S?, the defender of Idol of course. anyhow. It might be the way the industry has been heading, but this will be a very bad move for the theaters who are already in trouble as I said, they make the majority of profit from the later weeks since the studio's get a greater % of the films take the first few weeks. Lets see how this plays out.

Pants

You are so right Jack. Nothing would please the studios more than if they could release a movie in theaters for only 3 weeks (when exhibitors get less than 10% of the box office) then put the DVD out on the 4th week, killing the period when the exhibitor's take increases, and then put a new movie in theaters.

mcbg1

Here's a very interesting article on the dvd rental window situation and on the J2K movie :

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml...toryID=2832505

ChefWinduAZ

For a movie that starts in two weeks I haven't seen a commercial for it yet. I think FOX has no faith in this film at all and that is why they initially wanted to hurry up and release it on DVD so they could capitalize on the American Idol hoopla. But the theater owners got pissed off and they changed the date. If I was a theater owner I would only play this on one screen anyway so I don't see why they are flipping out. It's not like this was going to be the big blockbuster summer movie of the year. I am surprised FOX didn't pull a Disney and just release it straight to video. They would probably make more money that way.

mcbg1

Fox has faith in this movie. The test screenings went extremely well and they are promoting it a lot. You just hate everything AI related and you keep making negative judgments about it even though you know nothing about the facts.
I've seen previews for it on MTV, Fox, WB, and a lot of other major networks.

WWE Jedi : You have no idea of what you're talking about so shut the hell up.

Pants

I'm no hater, but this film will bomb hard. Not "Real Cancun" hard, but hard nontheless.

mcbg1

Wait and see

das Monkey

Heavy on the "wait" ... light on the "see"

das

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by mcbg1
Fox has faith in this movie. The test screenings went extremely well and they are promoting it a lot. You just hate everything AI related and you keep making negative judgments about it even though you know nothing about the facts.
I've seen previews for it on MTV, Fox, WB, and a lot of other major networks.

WWE Jedi : You have no idea of what you're talking about so shut the hell up.

Dude, relax. There's no need to take things relating to Kelly/AI so personally. Like WWE Jedi, i've yet to see a commercial for this thing too [and I watch all the channels you mentioned..]. Now, I don't know what goes through FOX execs heads [nor do I think i'd want to..], but he prefaced his statement with "I think" rather than insisting that it was fact..

Or in the immortal words of Warren Oates..."Lighten up, Francis.."

mcbg1

Well sorry if I take it so personally but this gal worked her butt off to make this movie worthwhile and good.

I know people think it's cheesy and it kinda is but in good way. It's a great fun movie and if people have an open mind when they walk in the theater, they will have a great time.

Like I said previously, the acting is good and the music and choregraphy is great. It's not gonna bomb that's for sure because unlike you I've seen the trailer at least 10 times in the last week and the right audience is targeted ( teens )

Fox has great faith in it since the test screenings went so well. It's one of the reasons the movie was pushed from April to June.

People are entitled to their opinions but they gotta stop to have pre-conceived ideas about the movie and just see it and then say what they thought of it.

If they don't like it I'm ok with it, at least they will have made the effort to see it.

NitroJMS

I have yet to see a single trailer or tv spot either. None are even on the official site. The sole promotion I've seen in person was a poster at my local Loews Theater.

No reviews are available yet either which isn't too good a sign if critics aren't being shown this film at this point. Normally there's at least a few press screenings at least 2 weeks before a release.