In a move the company characterised as a “test” of new window patterns, Summit Home Entertainment is to make sci-fi thriller Source Code available in the US via VOD and electronic sell through (EST) two weeks ahead of the film’s DVD and Blu-ray release.
In a statement, Summit said the early VOD release, the latest move in the ongoing industry debate about shortened theatrical windows, “will test the demand for viewing a bigger budgeted film digitally prior to the release of physical discs. Summit is not shortening the industry established window between a film’s theatrical release and its home entertainment debut, rather this test aligns with the studio’s ongoing efforts to find the best way to present its films digitally.”
The film, which was released theatrically in the US in April and has grossed more than $110m worldwide, will be launched on VOD/EST on July 8 and made available on disc on July 26.
Summit has been offering its titles on VOD/EST day and date with disc release since 2007. The company’s original Twilight feature was the first film to gross $100 million at the domestic box office released in the pattern, which is now standard for studios and independents.
In the statement, Steve Nickerson, president of Summit Home Entertainment, said: “As the way a consumer’s consumption of feature films evolves, we are always looking for new ways that meet these demands. While we are optimistic about the consumer appetite for this type of home entertainment release pattern, we are only conducting a test in this case and not making an overall policy shift at this time. Once the results are in we will analyze the data and see what the consumer has to say.”
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