UK’s Odeon chain has agreed to release Alice In Wonderland in UK cinemas. Odeon, the largest movie chain in the UK, had publicly threatened to boycott the film over Disney’s plan for early DVD releases on two films a year, beginning with Alice. The DVD will come out three months after its March 5 theatrical bow as opposed to the standard four months.
Exhibs in the U.S. have become more amenable to smaller films receiving DVD releases earlier than the usual four months after theatrical release.
It is understood that both Disney, which plans an earlier-than-usual DVD release of the Tim Burton film, and Odeon made concessions. In the UK, assurances were given that the studio won’t begin marketing the DVD until six or eight weeks after the theatrical bow. Exhibitors elsewhere probably asked for the same terms.
Disney had planned to release the film on DVD after 12 weeks, rather than the traditional 16 or 17. This has reportedly been amended to 13 weeks, following deals struck with rival UK exhibitors Cineworld and Vue (which also threatened to boycott the film). A similar compromise was reached earlier with US exhibitors.
