Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[JohnAV]

Foreign Box Office: ‘No Time to Die’ Rockets to Record $119M Overseas Opening - Hollywood Reporter 10/3

The 25th James Bond is the first Hollywood title of the pandemic-era to cross $100 million in a foreign launch without China.

James Bond hasn’t lost his charm at the box office.

No Time To Die — the release of which was delayed numerous times due to the COVID-19 pandemic — rocketed to $119.1 million from 54 markets in its foreign debut, an invigorating number that set numerous records and fuels hopes that moviegoing is resuming in earnest.

The 25th installment in the storied spy franchise is the first Hollywood title of the pandemic era to cross $100 million in its overseas launch without China.

From MGM and Bond home EON Productions, No Time to Die opted to open in a raft of offshore territories a week ahead of its launch in North America on Oct. 8. Universal is handling the tentpole in most countries overseas, where the film scored the top grosses of the pandemic era in numerous territories.

In the U.K. and Ireland, No Time to Die earned $11.4 million on Saturday, the highest box office single day for any film in the series, as well as the highest single day of the pandemic era.

The film is expected to post the third-biggest weekend of the Bond franchise with $34.8 million, and the sixth-biggest for any film. It is receiving the widest release ever in the U.K., playing in 772 cinemas. It is also Universal’s widest ever release in that territory.

No Time to Die‘s early performance is a welcome relief for British exhibitors, with many pinning their pandemic recovery hopes on Bond, traditionally a major event in U.K. cinemas anyway, but this year with the added pressure of being seen as a test for future consumer confidence.

No Time to Die smashed Imax records, including setting the best opening weekend for a Bond film in 24 countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Italy. And it was the best pandemic-era opening in 21 markets, including the U.K., Hong Kong, Austria, and Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway.

“This was a huge team effort by all. The filmmakers delivered an outstanding film and we are very proud to play a part in this result with MGM and EON,” Universal International’s international distribution chief Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said, adding that Barbara Broccoli of EON has been a “huge supporter of the theatrical experience, and it’s very gratifying to see the film achieve such heights during the pandemic.”

No Time to Die is directed by Cary Fukunaga and marks Daniel Craig’s fifth and final outing as James Bond. The cast of the film also includes Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes and Christoph Waltz, along with Rami Malek, Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch.

007 isn’t the only title recharging the foreign box office.

Venom 2 — in addition to scoring a stunning North American debut of $90.1 million — also made headlines overseas this weekend when opening to a huge $13.8 million in Russia. It is Sony’s biggest launch of all-time in that market and the best of any film during the pandemic.

And, in its third outing, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune amassed another $13.7 million from 32 markets for to jump the $100 million mark internationally. It opens in North America later this month.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Looks like a slow return to the old way of releasing movies.

[JohnAV]

South Korean ISP SK Broadband sues Netflix for millions in bandwidth usage fees - The Verge 10/1

South Korean internet service provider SK Broadband is suing Netflix to pay for the increased network costs and bandwidth usage the streaming service’s content has drawn in South Korea, Reuters writes. The company cites Squid Game and D.P., two popular Korean Netflix dramas, as part of the cause.

SK Broadband’s demand for payment isn’t unfounded. A South Korean court sided with the ISP in June, The Korea Herald writes, suggesting Netflix was responsible for the demands its content puts on SK. Counter to Netflix’s request that it not be charged — since customers are the ones streaming, and they already pay for it — the court said the company has “the obligation of paying the price for the services to SK Broadband.” SK estimates the cost at 27.2 billion won (around $23 million) for 2020 alone, according to Reuters.

The Verge has contacted Netflix for comment. The company shared the following statement with TechCrunch in response to SK’s demands:

We will review the claim that SK Broadband has filed against us. In the meantime, we continue to seek open dialogue and explore ways of working with SK Broadband in order to ensure a seamless streaming experience for our shared customers.
Netflix’s success in Korea and in popularizing Korean film and television in the US has come to a head in the last year, and particularly in the last week, thanks to the surprise hit Squid Game. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said Monday that it was on track to be the company’s most popular show yet, and within four days of its release, it was already number one in the US on Netflix’s top ten chart.

Netflix strikes deals with service providers like Comcast in the US so that its connection gets priority treatment and, ultimately, better video quality. However, Netflix is in a different position now than when it agreed to pay Comcast — it already lost in court, and SK Telecom isn’t incentivized to make a deal while regulators consider a pending Big Cable merger — so even though it has more weight to throw around, it’s also already provided an example of why it might pay in the first place.

What a truly unfortunate circumstance, you make a addictive show that streams over the internet and this SK Broadband is a bunch of whiners that are not getting enough revenue from their customers, oh gee life if so unfair.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

What a truly unfortunate circumstance, you make a addictive show that streams over the internet and this SK Broadband is a bunch of whiners that are not getting enough revenue from their customers, oh gee life if so unfair.

We, the public, are not privy to all the facts in a case like this so we have no idea who the real culprit is. It appears Disney may try for a end run in South Korea (here).

[Steedeel]

Oh dear. Disney+ and Netflix about to pay a huge bulk of money globally. No way will this end with just South Korea.

Profits will suffer!

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Oh dear. Disney+ and Netflix about to pay a huge bulk of money globally. No way will this end with just South Korea.

Profits will suffer!

No they won't. They'll just raise the monthly sub fee a buck and all will be well. Then they will throw it up into the faces of the government leaders telling them; "see what you made us do! This is your fault!"

[unberechenbar]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

No they won't. They'll just raise the monthly sub fee a buck and all will be well. Then they will throw it up into the faces of the government leaders telling them; "see what you made us do! This is your fault!"

I wonder why ISPs don't just raise prices instead of going after streaming services.

[cheez avenger]

Since Squid Game is the #1 series on Earth, I don't doubt that this has made Netflix a lot of money in new subscriptions and upgrades to the 4K tier.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

Since Squid Game is the #1 series on Earth, I don't doubt that this has made Netflix a lot of money in new subscriptions and upgrades to the 4K tier.

Unfortunately Netflix has never given a breakdown of how many subs per plan they have: SD, HD & UHD

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Unfortunately Netflix has never given a breakdown of how many subs per plan they have: SD, HD & UHD

True, but I'm sure this whole Squid Game insanity is doing good for their bottom line, regardless of the ISP issues in South Korea. The irony there being I thought read somewhere that South Korea's ISP was better than what we have here in the USA? I doubt that now.

I should also say that the show is pretty freakin' awesome. The 4K DV / Atmos is fantastic.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

No they won't. They'll just raise the monthly sub fee a buck and all will be well. Then they will throw it up into the faces of the government leaders telling them; "see what you made us do! This is your fault!"

That wouldn’t go down well in the U.K., not with the colossal rise in electricity and gas bills.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

That wouldn’t go down well in the U.K., not with the colossal rise in electricity and gas bills.

I don't know about UK but where I live the local library has a extensive Disney movie collection that's mostly Blu Ray.

I do subscribe to D+ but I already told my daughter that she'll have to pay for it if they want to add more ads and raising prices would be an even better reason to drop it like a hot rock. I collect the Disney movies I like so I almost never use it. It does help me decide which new Disney movies I like.


-Brian

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

The irony there being I thought read somewhere that South Korea's ISP was better than what we have here in the USA? I doubt that now.

In regards to Netflix speed, in the US here, South Korea here, they are about the same. It would appear most subs are SD & HD.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Oh dear. Disney+ and Netflix about to pay a huge bulk of money globally. No way will this end with just South Korea.

Profits will suffer!

Hardly.

Costs are always passed on to the consumer one way or another.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by cheez avenger

True, but I'm sure this whole Squid Game insanity is doing good for their bottom line, regardless of the ISP issues in South Korea. The irony there being I thought read somewhere that South Korea's ISP was better than what we have here in the USA? I doubt that now.

I should also say that the show is pretty freakin' awesome. The 4K DV / Atmos is fantastic.

There is nothing in the article to suggest that internet service is better or worse in S. Korea than what we have here in the U.S. The article just states that one particular ISP in S. Korea, namely SK Broadband, wants to be paid more for the increased use of bandwidth caused by Netflix's popularity. The article does not say that they are having trouble meeting the demand; they just want more money.

[Vilya]

For M. Night Shyamalan fans, The Village 2004 is on sale at Vudu for $7.99 in HDX. There is no blu-ray release anywhere, so digital is the only way to have this title in HD at the moment. It's a MA title also.

I bought it as an upgrade to my DVD, which should guarantee a blu-ray release announcement at any time.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

For M. Night Shyamalan fans, The Village 2004 is on sale at Vudu for $7.99 in HDX. There is no blu-ray release anywhere, so digital is the only way to have this title in HD at the moment. It's a MA title also.

I bought it as an upgrade to my DVD, which should guarantee a blu-ray release announcement at any time.

I have been waiting so long for a Blu-ray release of The Village. Along with ‘Alive’ it’s my most wanted non release.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I have been waiting so long for a Blu-ray release of The Village. Along with ‘Alive’ it’s my most wanted non release.

Alive (1993) is another DVD that I upgraded to HD by purchasing a digital copy; look for an imminent blu-ray announcement for it, too.

Old debuted on Vudu today, but it costs $19.99 to purchase. Far better to wait two weeks and buy it on disc. It includes the digital code, anyway.

I am still undecided about whether or not I will buy it. I visited the thread here for it (in the Movies forum) and found it awash in nonsense from two forum members in particular. I have nothing against a little silliness, but those two just don't ever relent. They essentially hijack whatever thread they visit.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Vilya

For M. Night Shyamalan fans, The Village 2004 is on sale at Vudu for $7.99 in HDX. There is no blu-ray release anywhere, so digital is the only way to have this title in HD at the moment. It's a MA title also.

I bought it as an upgrade to my DVD, which should guarantee a blu-ray release announcement at any time.

When I scanned my DVD the message “Sorry, Disney does not participate in Disc to Digital” popped up. When I used “Find out if your movie is eligible:” there was no results from The Village and Village returned Village of the Damned.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

When I scanned my DVD the message “Sorry, Disney does not participate in Disc to Digital” popped up. When I used “Find out if your movie is eligible:” there was no results from The Village and Village returned Village of the Damned.

I purchased it directly from Vudu and as it is a MA title it will port to all of your accounts. Do a title or a director search on Vudu and it should come up.