With all the controversy that surrounded comedy film The Interview and the related hack against Sony, it was easy to forget that the film's eventual release was a very unusual experiment in Hollywood.
Simultaneously released in cinemas and a number of online video-on-demand services, the film's release was a departure from the usual 'rule' of a theatrical release followed by a home release several months later.
Cinema owners have been at the forefront of the movement to retain this traditional 'release window'. Despite the fact that many theatre owners chose not to show The Interview following threats, it is unlikely that many would have warmly welcomed the news of a simultaneous release.
The VOD release of the film has been widely reported as a success - earning more than $30 million (around €26 million) - but cinema owners in the US are now warning that the release did not change anything, and Sony are still likely to lose money as a result of the release.
Patrick Corcoran, Vice President of the National Association of Theater Owners, has written a column discussing the release, and how the figures might not be as promising as initially reported.
"Sony has announced a DVD/Blu-Ray release for February 17 - what kind of disc sales and rentals will you get when it has already been in the home?" he writes. "In this simultaneous-release game, Sony is $30 million in the hole and almost out of cards."
He points out the release was an unusual case - given the circumstances that led to the VOD release, the unique levels of media coverage that surrounded the film's release, but also the 'ad-hoc' plan put together by Sony in the days leading up to Christmas. He warns that future potential revenue - such as premium TV broadcast - could be negatively impacted by the film's small theatrical takings.
Corcoran also points out that more optimistic analysts "generally neglected to note that the record holder for VOD and digital release is Bridesmaids, which took in $40 million after its traditional theatrical release grossed $169 million domestically."
You can read the full post here.
While a debate is likely to continue over whether The Interview's release could be considered a 'success', it is definitely unlikely to be the last film to challenge traditional film release patterns.
The Interview will be released in Ireland on February 6th.
