Movie Release Dates

Saruman

In the past the US usually releases a movie there a month or more before it gets to UK/IRL.. however there are recently more exceptions to this like LOTR and now the next star wars!

Do you think they are starting to see that by releasing in the US before the rest of the world it opens up piracy to the rest of the world ina huge way?... so you get pirate copies before they even hit the cinema in other countries...

LOTR did not appear on DivX until after the worldwide release and i would assume the same will be said for Star Wars! Personally i think its a good thing.. i will gladly pay to see a movie in the cinema if its a good movie that is... otherwise i would just get a divX copy and they are not loosing out since i would not pay to go see it anyway... Anyone else agree?

EvilGeorge

Actually The phantom menace was out for download well before the movie release which was world wide (as some will remember) - no so much with the second one.

sceptre

I think they are trying to claw back some of the progress made by distribution pirates by releasing blockbusters on the same day in the US and Europe (or close to the same day)

The old rule still applies though - big movies get earlier European distribution dates as distributors are happy to take the plunge on them. With smaller movies, sleepers (obviously) and "not sure things", distributors adopt much more of a "wait and see" approach.

A lot of it is down to the costings of promoting a movie that may or may not be a hit. If it's successful in the US market, it's more likely to be a success in the other major English-speaking markets - the UK, Australia.

(the cost of just making spools of film for distribution for the Phantom Menace was nearly 2 million dollars - that's before a penny was spent on promotion. The last thing a movie company/distribution company wants to do is spand a wad on simply getting the movie to thousands of cinemas on opening day only to find that no-one really wants to go see it)

Mr E

I don't think its the norm, Saruman.

99% of US movies are released in the States first.
Its up to the studio/distributors to determine release dates with regard to USA vs. the rest of the world.

Spiderman (judging by last weekend's takings in the States) was massive, yet there is 6+ weeks difference in the release dates between there and Europe.

I have to say that I've noticed a shortening of the gap between release dates over the last few years. There was a time where you had to wait 3 months or more to see a US movie appear over here.

Saruman

Yeah i notice you can sometimes buy movies on DVD from the US before they even reach the cinema here!

Beruthiel

there are some films that just MUST be seen on the big screen for the full effect!! I would not ruin my complete enjoyment of LOTR for instance by seeing it anywhere else but the cinema first!

Saruman

Too true Beruthiel.. saw it at the cinema first a few times then loadsa times on perfect DivX rip (the official one from newline cinema ahem)

Gaz

Me too , the cinema first for that movie ...although the DVD rip is astounding quality !

banbutcher

Originally posted by Saruman
Too true Beruthiel.. saw it at the cinema first a few times then loadsa times on perfect DivX rip (the official one from newline cinema ahem)

Saruman, where might one get the divX LOTR???

Saruman

Eh we dont talk about stuff like that lol.. you would get it though off the net.. newsgroup accounts etc.. im not sure where my copy came from.. m8 downloaded it for me.. Anyway its 2 cd's! DVD quality and only thing is every 20 mins a messge scrolls at the bottom saying its a screening copy and not for sale etc.. dont even notice it!

b20uvkft6m5xwg

Yep this is definite policy decision by the Movie studios. I remember reading about it in an article that appearred in IT's Ticket last year that explains it all- But I cant seem to find it ATM on the website-

It was mentioned in the review of "the man who wasn't there". Piracy and the adverse effects of bad press from the US on films not released in Europe were prominent resaons for the decision if I remember correctly:)

Mills

If there was something I was really looking forward to seeing I'd definately wait until it was out in the cinema before seeing it. I don't have a lot of time for Divx rips of movies, I usually just rent them when they're out on DVD, and if I really like it I'll buy the DVD..... if I had some sort of broadband I suppose I might download the odd movie that I wasn't bothered about seeing to save wasting €4 on renting it, but if there was any hastle involved I just wouldn't bother.