With Halloween right around the corner, there is certainly not going to be any lack of horror movies to fill theaters. However, it seems that the "Paranormal Activity" franchise's newest installment may not get the theatrical release it needs as thousands of theaters are banning the movie outright from showing.
Geek.com reports that Paramount's decision to shorten the VOD (Video on Demand) release time from the normal 30 days to 17 days could be the cause. In July, Paramount struck a deal with AMC Entertainment, the second biggest theater circuit behind Regal Entertainment, to make "Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension" available digitally 17 days after the film leaves the theaters. In return, Paramount would share an undisclosed portion of the VOD revenues.
When given the same deal, Regal Entertainment and Cinemark both rejected the offer and Regal CEO Amy Miles criticized the offer altogether. Miles stated that Regal Entertainment will reserve its screens for traditional releases and will not show "Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension."
So what does this mean for the latest installment in the "Paranormal Activity" franchise? Well, first off, it will mean that it will only premier on only 1,350 theaters, a far cry from the 2,867 theaters the last installment premiered on, according to Hollywood Reporter. Less theaters means less viewers will get to see the film, meaning less money overall.
Paramount is hoping that the short turn-around time between theater release and availability digitally will help nullify the limited theatrical availability. Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore has gone on record saying that there is no question about the movie doing less in the theaters due to Regal and Cinemark's rejection, but the vice chairman is positive about the digital release.
Moore believes that "Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension" will be the start of change in the movie business by allowing movies that in all reality would only have a successful 3- to 4-week run instead of the arbitrary 10-week run in the theaters. Movies would not have to stay stuck on the theaters' schedules and could give way to better or hidden movie gems.
The "Paranormal Activity" series has seen nominal success, with the first five movies grossing over USD500 million compared to a minimal budget. Experts believe that the numbers for this next film will be substantially less than its predecessors.
What do you think of theater chains banning "Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension?" Do you believe that this is the right thing to do? Let us know in the comments below.
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