New Warner Home Video Policy for Select Film Releases

We have recently learned that Warner Home Video will no longer distribute theatrical releases to libraries or home video rental stores until 28 days after they release the movies for sale at retailers. This Warner Home Video policy applies to all public libraries and video rental outlets such as Redbox, Netflix, and Blockbuster.

In addition to being released 28 days after the retail version, Warner’s rental version DVDs and Blu-rays will not contain bonus features or extras. However, we understand that there will be a significant price reduction for these products, apparently amounting to an average $4 per DVD title and $8 per Blu-ray title (see cost breakdown below).

Warner Home Video has announced that it may seek to enforce its new policy by auditing its distribution partners’ sales. Additionally, Warner may require retailers, like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target, to limit the number of copies of a new release that may be sold to a single customer.

Please note that Warner’s new policy will only impact titles that have a theatrical release, perhaps amounting to about 12 titles per year. Non-theatrical Warner releases will not be affected by this policy.

Below are the first three Warner theatrical titles affected. Note that Warner’s rental versions will feature rental artwork.

If your library had any of these titles on order previously, Midwest Tape will modify the order and adjust the pricing accordingly. If you do not wish to receive rental versions of these titles, please contact Customer Service at 1.800.875.2785 to cancel your order.

While we recognize this is Warner Home Video’s policy, feel free to contact us at 1.800.875.2785 or info@midwesttapes.com with any questions or concerns regarding this matter. You may also contact Warner Home Video directly at 888.383.9483.


You can also read more at Home Media Magazine: Warner Altering Distribution to Rental Channels?


Cost Breakdown

title	format	former retail street date	former retail SRP	former mwt library price	rental street date	rental SRP	new mwt library price
Crazy Stupid Love	DVD	1-Nov	28.99	21.99	29-Nov	22.99	17.99
Crazy Stupid Love	Blu-ray	1-Nov	35.99	26.99	29-Nov	24.99	18.99
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2	DVD	11-Nov	28.99	21.99	9-Dec	22.99	17.99
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2	Blu-ray	11-Nov	35.99	26.99	9-Dec	24.99	18.99
Hangover Part 2	DVD	6-Dec	28.99	21.99	3-Jan	22.99	17.99
Hangover Part 2	Blu-ray	6-Dec	35.99	26.99	3-Jan	24.99	18.99

Disney Releases Blu-ray Combo before DVD for Stranger Tides

Home Media Magazine recently reported that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Blu-ray/DVD combo a month ahead of the DVD-only release. While Disney has done this previously on back-catalog titles, this Blu-ray-centric move is a first for a major box office release.

On October 18, Disney will release Stranger Tides as a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a five-disc combo pack with 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copy. Roughly one month later, on November 15, the studio will then release a DVD-only version of the blockbuster film.¹

With over 30 million households in the United States currently owning a Blu-ray player (according to the Digital Entertainment Group) and projections showing global Blu-ray disc sales will hit 412 million units in 2013², studios will certainly be watching this release closely to determine whether they’ll conduct similar strategies with their blockbuster flicks.

What do you think of Disney’s strategy with Stranger Tides? Will your library go with the combo pack or hold out for the DVD-only version?

¹ http://www.homemediamagazine.com/disney/disney-goes-with-blu-ray-combo-first-pirates-24497

² http://www.mwtnewsandviews.com/2011/06/report-charts-blu-rays-five-year.html

Street Dates Move Up for Eminem, Miley Cyrus, and Others

Sony, EMI, and Universal Music have bumped up the release dates for their titles originally slated for a June 22^nd release. These titles will now street on June 21^st.

Among the titles hitting the shelves on this date is Eminem’s follow up to last year’s Relapse—the highly anticipated Recovery (UMM394527C for Parental Advisory/UMM394510C for Edited). Demand for this title has been through the roof, so an early release date comes as good news to fans and libraries alike.

Eminem will share the spotlight on June 21^st with Miley Cyrus’s new album Can’t Be Tamed (UMM145446C). Critics claim that Miley displays a new maturity on this, her second full-length release, so eager listeners will surely be anxious to get their hands on this title.

Also scheduled for release on the 21^st are Macy Gray’s first album effort since 2007, The Sellout (UMM320093C), Ozzy Osbourne’s Scream (CMJ611326C), and The Roots’ oft-delayed How I Got Over (UMM094601C for Parental Advisory/UMM094632C for Edited).

If you have already received your copies of any of these releases, you can display them starting on Monday, June 21, 2010 instead of waiting until Tuesday.  Please post any questions you have here as comments, or call Customer Service at 1.800.875.2785.