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Comcast-Universal Testing ‘Tower Heist’ At $59.99
Cinemark, the nation’s third-largest movie theater chain, today threatened not to carry Universal’s upcoming caper comedy Tower Heist over the studio’s plan to offer the movie on video-on-demand just three weeks after its November 4 release. The VOD test is being planned for two markets — Portland, Ore., and Atlanta — at a price of $59.99. “Cinemark has urged Universal Pictures to reconsider its market test of this product,” Cinemark said in a statement. “If Universal Pictures moves forward with its Tower Heist premium video-on-demand offering, as announced, Cinemark has determined, in its best business interests, that it will decline to exhibit this film in its theatres.” This could get interesting, especially if the National Association of Theatre Owners weighs in and brings chains like Regal and AMC along for backup. One thing is for certain: The nastier this gets, the more likely Tower Heist star Eddie Murphy will make a joke about it during the Oscars, an event being produced by Tower Heist director Brett Ratner.
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I’m no expert, but I just cannot imagine a world in which more than 2 people would ever elect to pay sixty bucks (!) to see a movie three weeks after its release. My gawd, man!
Fuck Yeah, GO CINEMARK GO! NATO JUMP ON THIS PLEASE!
just like how internet streaming killed the NEW GIRL premiere? this could ADD movie goers through good word of mouth more than take away people who were going to sit on their own couch anyway
Stop shilling. Apples to oranges, moron.
New Girl was free, Tower Heist, 60 beans. Do the math.
1 movie at $59.99 for VOD?
Cinemark has nothing to worry about. I seriously doubt many will partake of this offering.
And Universal has completely lost it’s mind thinking this price point will work.
Here’s a thought corporate America. When you keep wages stagnant for decades and lay people off… consumers have less disposable income. In the meantime, you guys somehow expect your yearly revenues to magically keep increasing exponentially. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way.
The price point targets groups of people who can share the cost. Do you think that there will be any large groups of people sharing households in November?
Moreso than in any preceding November. Number of families doubling up into single households highest it’s ever been. Though food is certainly a more likely purchase than $60 movie.
Good for you Cinemark! Stand firm 100% and protect the movie theater buisness! Victory shall be yours
As for Universal, FUCK YOU YOU GREEDY DOUCHEBAGS! Anyone who thinks this is a good idea really needs to be shot
Maybe we can just say mean things about them instead?
And thus Universal continues their epic fail decision-making process. $60 for a movie you won’t even own, just to be able to watch it at home a little sooner than normal. Insanity.
A reasonable idea would be VOD 6 weeks after release for no more than $14.99. The end. Not hard.
Who the hell is going to pay that much $ to watch Tower Heist? It’s more like VOD Heist. Yawn.
This could get interesting…
Here! Here! Tired of the studios being incredibly. I applaud Cinemark and hope that this test is a giant failure!
Finally! Someone who actually cares about protecting the theater experience besides me.
THANK YOU Filmbuff! Finally someone who actually cares about protecting the theater experience!
Why would anyone pay 59.99 for a video on demand movie?
What a business strategy cinemark. If people pay 60 to watch at home then you are failing at your business to provide an experience people value. If they do not pay for it then nothing changes.
The worst plan is to just kick and scream your business into oblivion.
Ron, is that you?
Goddd dammmnnn $60 for a movie??? Is it a joke Universal???
This is a really bad idea dollar wise and pr wise…people will not respond well to this.
60 bucks for On Demand is way too high. What’s up with this business strategy? Why even bother to have it come out in theaters?
I guess this is a new stream of income hollywood is looking into. Instead of straight-to-dvd, it’s straight to VOD, but with a jacked up price. Maybe the theatrical release helps legitimize it as a REAL movie. I don’t know, just speculating…
Are people retarded? If you have three friends over, it’s only $15 each.
With the cinema experience in the pits, the theaters are gonna lose this war.
$60? Yeah, good luck with that. LMAOROTF
People are forgetting first this is a test, if it works, Universal was right if it doesn’t what does it cost them? very little. Second there WILL be people out there that will pay the price, people with money, people with expensive home theaters, there are people in this depression with MONEY, and those are the ones that will be paying. The thing that puzzles me is Portland, Oregon? lol Now if it was Seattle, Washington, or San Francisco, Ca. I would say yes cities with money, but Portland? lol
So 3weeks after release there will be a crystal clear version of the film to download from bittorrent ?? Great idea universal !! I wouldn’t watch this shit film even for free.
I have to applaud cinemark here — there may not be many people who will pay 60 dollars for a movie — but it is an absolute threat to the the movie theater business and find it puzzling that the movie industry would like to try this. It’s insulting to the moviegoing experience.
The price point is a non starter but circuits should be grateful for at least that much of a warning shot while they continue to self immolate. I cherish the theatre experience but the major chains, virtually without exception, have allowed almost any alternative to coming to their theatres look attractive. Admissions are already mostly absurd (hi there $15 matinee AMC!) and virtually every multiplex pays ONE person MINIMUM WAGE to manage presentation quality in 14-18 auditoriums simultaneously while they also skimp on upkeep/optimal equipment performance. Throw in completely nonexistent or toothless policy relative to patron civility as fuel on the fire. Fully half the time you go to the movies you will have a bad experience and you will have paid through the nose for the privilege.
This pricing by Universal isn’t designed to move the needle at all. It’s too timid to even be recognized as an embrace of the notion of premium VOD via satellite or internet, which WILL be a day and date reality much sooner than anyone realizes. Think for example if Jobs was making this kind of an announcement. You’d be able to do see it tomorrow for $20 and likely get a copy of the movie in the deal.
There will be theatres that survive and thrive but there will be fewer of them.
Personally I think at this point it is a non-issue. Yes there will be ‘some’ families that will fork over the $60 to see the movie (when you think about it, 4 movie tickets+gas+parking+theater priced snakes) can easily add up to a $100 a movie – and being able to save the cash (not to mention not treking the whole family through the snow) will probably be attractive to some, but not most.