Washington - UPI
Paramount studios and AMC Theaters trying to change how consumers view and access movies in a new experiment.
The film studio and movie theater, which also includes Cineplex in Canada, are looking to change how films are released both in theaters and for home viewing. Deadline reports the companies are looking to close the gap between theater and home release by as little as 6 weeks.
Paramount plans to start with the upcoming Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse. After the films drop to below 300 domestic screenings, they would be pulled and made available for instant streaming.
The theaters will receive and undisclosed amount of the studio's revenue for a period ending 90 days after the film's release, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The National Association of Theater owners is waiting to see how the experiment works. According to spokesman Peter Corcoran, the impact "remains to be seen" and will be "determined by theater" companies.
Neither AMC nor Paramount have released information about any other films being considered for the experiment.