DirecTV Tuesday said that its premium video-on-demand service would become available to customers starting on Thursday.
Home Premiere, the name of the service, will allow subscribers of the satellite-television provider the ability to rent movies only 60 days after they began playing in movie theaters, for $30 each. That’s half the time it usually takes for movies to appear on cable and satellite VOD, which typically charge much less. Movies usually come out on DVD around the same time they appear on normal VOD services.
For now, the service is to offer only one movie at a time. The Adam Sandler comedy “Just Go With It,” wil be the first offering. “Just Go With it” was released by Sony Corp.’s Sony Pictures on February 11 and has grossed $102.3 million in North America.
After paying the $30 fee to DirecTV, customers will have 48 hours to view a Home Premiere film as many times as they like. Each title will be available via Home Premiere for two weeks; they will still play on DirecTV’s regular VOD service after the usual 120-day window.
Premium VOD has been a source of tension between movie studios and theater owners. Studios are eager to explore new ways of offering films to viewers to compensate for declining DVD sales. Movie theater chains AMC and Regal warned earlier this month that they would punish the major movie studios for trying to offer movies on demand after 60 days.
