We knew it was coming soon: the launch of DirecTV’s Home Premiere premium VOD service. According to a studio source consulted by The Wrap, the service that has Hollywood applauding and theater owners booing will go live next week.
A joint venture with Sony, Universal, Warner and Fox, the service will feature video-on-demand rentals for $30. The titles for rent will be movies that are two months into their theatrical runs. Likely candidates for the launch titles will beJust Go With It, The Rite and Cedar Rapids.
Theater owners are extremely unhappy with the studios’ move, which they believe will further shrink their already thin margins on content. Some consumers, however, feel that Hollywood’s expectation that people will drop $30 on a rental for a two-month-old movie is not logical.
Where do you stand, Insiders? Will premium VOD falter or fly?
(via The Wrap)
Hotels have a similar service, except you only have to pay $10 for a older still-in-theaters movie. At least that’s only the cost of a single ticket.
I wouldn’t pay $30 for a VOD movie unless it was *brand new* in theaters.
i will not spend 30 bucks on a 2 month old movie. i don’t think the theaters have any thing to worry about. this isn’t going to work
No way. Why would ANYone pay that?
If it were more like 2-week old movies, it would be better. But at 2 months, you’ll already be able to watch those movies for $3 at a discount movie theater. You’d have to have over 10 people in your home watching the premium VOD to make it worth it. Now if the movies were newer and tickets for the movie were still $12, then a family of 3 can make good use of the $30 price.
I would use it if I had a group of friends who all wanted to see something and everyone chipped in a few bucks – much the way PPV sports used to be done. Harry Potter, maybe?
>”Likely candidates for the launch titles will beJust Go With It, The Rite and Cedar Rapids.”
Good Luck with that lineup!
The biggest problem with this plan is that Hollywood puts out too much crap.
are you kidding me.
$30 bucks, hollywood is just reaching for things here. How is it that they are hurting for money but RIO comes out and does $170 million over the weekend. I believe a profit has already been made in weekend one. I would not pay $30 to see a new movie 2 months before it comes out in theaters. Movies they will learn are not something that people need. It is something that people enjoy. Enjoyment products or services are the first to go off of a budget. I would be disappointed in our society if this is successful.
Do not get me wrong I really enjoy movies but this is crazy stupid.
I wouldn’t spend $30 to watch a movie at home, period. I don’t care if this movie appeared a day before it was released at the theaters. I’d rather spend a little more or a little less to take the wife or the wife and kids to the theater and get the full theater experience.
Hopefully DirecTV’s failed hunch won’t end up costing me in terms of service hikes in order to make up for this stupid idea.
I agree with HOGE, $30 dollars for a movie rental is ridiculous. Who in their right mind would pay that much? I love Directv, but this is just plain silly.
To tell you the truth, I think $5 is too much for a movie rental. I’ve been with DirecTV for over 10 years now and never once rented a movie from their PPV. If I want to a see a movie when it comes out I will go to the theater and spend my $5-$10. If I miss a movie at the theater then I will wait for it to come out on Netflix or Redbox. I know that there is sometimes a delay in Netflix or Redbox getting the movies on DVD, but I’m not going to pay an extra $4 to watch something a month earlier. That’s too much of a premium.
I agree Dots. I get “rent one get one free” coupons from Directv all the time and I am not going to pay even the $2.50 rental fee to them. If Directv was serious about it they would offer $1.00 rentals to compete with Redbox and I would be watching a movie or two every weekend.
I wouldn’t spend $30 on any movie.
There is No way that I will pay $30.00 for a three month old movie. At that stage I may as well just wait for it to either come out on Netflix, or Redbox. If I or the Kids really love the movie we may buy it at Best Buy. But I certainly don’t pay $30.00 for the movie, ever! That’s just crazy!
You just know 1/4 of the people that buy will think they are paying the regular $4. When the cable/sat bill comes in they will get the bad news.
It seems people who actually work in the movie industry feel this is a greater threat than the commenters here on insideredbox.com.
From http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/23-directors-release-letter-opposing-180584
“You can argue about VOD windows all day long, but what you can’t deny is that there is an overwhelming outcry from the theater owners that they feel threatened by this, says (James) Cameron, who worked with the National Assn. of Theater Owners in putting together the letter.”
no way will i pay 30 for VOD…we could pay FULL PRICE MOVIE ticket prices and get by cheaper!
Two people can – without stopping by the concession stand. Three or more? Only at a matinee or discount theater.
I wouldn’t pay 30, maybe 5.. but NEVER 30.. I am already strapped to much to go to the theater, so 30 in my house. NO I don’t think so.. sorry…