Disney has announced that it is transitioning its physical home entertainment business to a licensing model, with Sony handling the marketing, sales, and distribution of physical media for new Disney releases and legacy catalog titles in the USA and Canada. This move comes after Best Buy recently exited the DVD and Blu-ray business, signaling a shift in the industry. Disney will continue to handle home entertainment for digital media.
The closure of Disney Movie Club, a DVD rental subscription service, was also announced. The service, which has been operating for 23 years, will be shutting down. DVDs were once a significant revenue source for the film industry, but the rise of streaming has changed the landscape, with box office returns becoming the primary focus. Despite Best Buy's exit from the DVD and Blu-ray business, DVDs can still be purchased at other retailers like Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Redbox.
The partnership with Sony will allow Disney to offer its films and TV shows more efficiently through physical retailers. Sony Pictures Entertainment will take over the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of Disney DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. The transfer of these operations to Sony may result in layoffs at Disney. The move to Sony allows Disney to continue offering films and TV shows through physical retailers and respond to consumer demand more efficiently. Physical disc sales have been declining, with revenue dropping 28% in the first half of 2023. The official date of the move to Sony has not been announced.
Sony Pictures Core, a new app for PlayStation consoles, has been launched by Sony. The app allows gamers to access over 2,000 movies, with subscribers having exclusive access to 100 movies without ads. The movie catalog will be regularly updated, and additional benefits will be provided to PlayStation Plus subscribers. The app is currently available for download in 23 markets where PlayStation is officially available, and it can be found in the Media section on PS5 and in the PS Store for PS4 users. Sony may expand the service to more regions in the future. This move comes after Sony adjusted prices for its entertainment offerings.
However, there is a development regarding digital content on PlayStation. Users who purchased Discovery content on PlayStation will no longer have access to it starting January 1st. The agreement between Sony and Discovery has changed, and the exact reason is unknown. It is speculated that internal changes at Discovery may be the cause. Sony has not announced if they will seek a new agreement. This raises questions about the ownership of digital purchases and the importance of physical media.
Carrie Coon, co-star of the upcoming film Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, advocates for collecting physical media. She and her husband have amassed over 10,000 Blu-ray titles in their collection. Coon believes that physical media is the only way to enjoy many older titles that are not available for streaming. She emphasizes the importance of supporting smaller labels that remaster and release classics and cult films. While digital downloads and streaming have advantages, Coon argues that until more films are made available for streaming, physical media should be preserved and supported. Companies such as Kino Lorber, Arrow Video, Criterion, and Shout Factory are currently restoring and releasing older films on physical media.
In addition to the decline of streaming apps, there has been a rise in interest in blockbuster-type libraries. People are reverting to physical media and establishing free, Blockbuster-type libraries to move away from streaming apps. The Free Blockbuster movement gained momentum, with over 200 community boxes opened from Louisiana to Canada and Britain. Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker visited used stores to find films for his collection. Three Blockbuster libraries were founded by a man who provided them for free. This movement highlights the desire for a tangible movie-watching experience and the value of physical media in preserving film history. LAN parties, where gamers connect their consoles or computers to a local area network and play multiplayer games together, are also mentioned as a way to enjoy physical media and connect with others.
Anthony Leo, a graphic designer and Louisville native, built a Free Blockbuster Stand in his neighborhood to share movies with the community. The stand, made out of plywood in the shape of a DVD case, was filled with movies from Leo's personal collection and donations from sellers on Facebook Marketplace. The Free Blockbuster had its grand opening on March 23, but the stand was stolen the next day. Leo's wife called out the thieves on social media, and the post received over 600 upvotes. Leo plans to build a new stand with the help of donated movies and hopes to have it ready within the next two weeks.
Sony has purchased the Alamo Drafthouse from the private equity firms and founder Tim League. Sony's purchase of the Drafthouse makes sense as it aligns with their commitment to theatrical presentations. The Drafthouse's business model is based on getting people in the door to order concessions. Sony's ownership of a theater chain offers opportunities for synergy with their anime-oriented streaming service Crunchyroll and partnerships with bookstores. Concerns about vertical integration and potential changes to the theaters and festivals are acknowledged. The author hopes Sony will work to reopen the Dallas-area Drafthouses. The article also mentions the resurgent popularity of Will Smith, movie reviews, and an assigned viewing of 'Bad Boys II.'
Blockbuster Inc. is a business sim/tycoon game developed by Super Sly Fox in partnership with publisher Ancient Forge S.A. The game is set in the Hollywood industry and allows players to build their own studio and create films and TV shows. The game features a variety of genres and decades to choose from, and includes mechanics for video and sound editing. Players can also encounter challenges such as diva actors and cut-throat executives. The game has stylized graphics and offers options for graphics settings. However, there are some issues with staff disappearing and crashes. Overall, the reviewer enjoyed the game and found it to be a solid addition to the business sim genre. [10671527] [7bd03d03]