Studios want quicker DVD releases to combat piracy

April 21, 2005

Well this is good news! How would you like to see movies released a lot quicker to DVD than they are now? How about the same day they are in the theaters! Studios are not against the thought, as they think that piracy is killing their profits. They even said the day is coming when the premeir of a new movie may be at Walmart.

Hollywood executives think DVDs should be released quicker to combat the growing threat of piracy, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
And they predict that the day may not be far off when some major films are available on DVD at the same time as their theatrical release.

"Your premiere may be at Wal-Mart," said Barry Meyer, chairman and chief executive of Warner Bros Entertainment.

In some territories movies make more money on DVD than in cinemas, he added.

"Right now theatrical is the main way we set values in these movies, and video is the first aftermarket," Mr Meyer said during a discussion held as part of the Milken Institute Global Conference on Wednesday.

"It might well be in certain territories it should be exactly the reverse - that theatrical is the added value."

I'm all for it, but I can't understand how they can be making more money from DVD releases than they are in movie houses and still wring their hands over piracy. It just doesn't make sense. Read the whole story over at the BBC.

Source: BBC News