Studios mull new movies at home, 30 days after release for $30

If a plan by six major studios comes to fruition, consumers could be enjoying new movies in the home as early as 30 days after theatrical release for as little as $30. While that could slash the current delay by more than a third, negotiations are said to be at an early stage, with studios in disagreement over time-scales and compensation payments to theater chains.

Aside from the thorny issue of price, content availability is often cited as one of the major drivers of Internet piracy. If consumers can access content easily without being made to wait, it’s believed that significant numbers will choose legal options.

With its global Friday release strategy and largely instantaneous availability on streaming platforms, the music industry has taken massive strides in dealing with this gaping hole in supply and demand. But for the movie industry, with its complex structure and multi-platform delivery system, things are not so straightforward.

Giving customers access to new movies on multiple formats on the day they’re released might seem to be the logical move to combat piracy, but Hollywood is fiercely protective of its windowing system since it offers multiple opportunities to sell and re-sell the same content to the same people.

Now, however, there are signs that the studios could be softening their stance towards consumers being able to rent new movies in the home shortly after their theatrical release.

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