Millennium’s “Trespass” and Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions’ “Margin Call” will both get a day-and-date theatrical and VOD release, with Time Warner Cable offering “Margin” through its Movies on Demand service while “Trespass” will unspool across all platforms, starting today.
Customers will be able to order “Margin Call” on Friday via TW Cable. “Trespass” will also be available digitally on iTunes, Microsoft, Sony, Vudu, Amazon, Google (Android Market and YouTube VOD), Rovi, CinemaNow and Blockbuster, as well as DirecTV, Dish, InDemand and Avail-TVN.
The VOD deals should help get the films in front of more audiences, considering the pics are limited releases, with “Trespass” going out to 10 theaters nationwide, according to Rentrak, while “Margin Call” is set for 50 theaters.
Whereas the majors have embraced day-and-date VOD releases with homevid rollouts of DVD and Blu-rays, indie distribs increasingly are turning to VOD to earn more coin from theatrical rollouts.
Many see a theatrical release as a promotional tool to get auds to purchase the VOD rental.
Lionsgate and Roadside picked up “Margin Call” at Sundance for $1 million.
Time Warner Cable has 12 million customers and is the second-largest cable operator behind Comcast Corp.
Because of their costs and limited rollouts, exhibitors aren’t expected to raise the same kind of ire that erupted around Universal’s plans to test an early premium VOD release for Brett Ratner’s “Tower Heist,” a month after its bow at megaplexes.
“Trespass,” directed by Joel Schumacher, stars Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman in the home invasion pic, while J.C. Chandor’s thriller “Margin Call” revolves around an investment firm during a 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis, starring Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto, Jeremy Irons and Demi Moore.
In addition to “Trespass” and “Margin Call,” Time Warner Cable is offering Lars von Trier’s “Melancholia” via its Movies on Demand service, nearly a month before it’s set to unspool on the bigscreen on Nov. 11. Pic stars Kirsten Dunst as a bride whose lavish wedding descends into chaos as a new planet called Melancholia is getting dangerously close to Earth. Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Alexander Skarsgard co-star.
