By Chris S.
Disney's newest movie 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' is being boycotted by German theaters that claim the rental fee is way too high... Disney raised its rental fee from 47.3% to 53% of ticket sales, according to broadcaster Deutsche Welle. (Leo Barraclough) They also claim that Disney has cut its contribution to advertising costs, and gotten rid of advances for 3-D glasses. Quite the scandal if you ask me.
For some of the theaters in smaller towns, the rise in rental fee, along with the cost of digitization, and the rise in staff and marketing costs may force them out of business..."We are worried—particularly about Eastern Germany. When prices go up, then we have a serious problem that could force movie theaters to close," says Karl-Heinz Meier, representing theater owners of North Germany. (Leo Barraclough)
"This past weekend, cinemas in 193 towns across the country have joined the Disney boycott, refusing to screen Disney blockbuster 'Avengers: Age of Ultron.' (Scott Roxborough) For Disney to not meet the demands of the theaters would result in theaters of Germany banning all Disney titles, with the new 3-D animated 'Tinkerbell: Legend of the Neverbeast,' set to arrive in theaters April 30, next on the list.
There is quite a number in the amount of theaters involved in the Disney ban. However, most of these weren't even planning to screen some of the movies being banned..."The best estimates put the number of screens lost as a result of the ban at less than 200." (Scott Roxborough) As it happened though, the movie still played on more than 840 screens in its first weekend in Germany, pulling in $9.35 million. The 700 screens taking part in the boycott would have only mattered if they all planned on screening 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron.' The financial impact of the boycott was probably only about half a million dollars. This boycott might take a little more to win than thought.
Disney's newest movie 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' is being boycotted by German theaters that claim the rental fee is way too high... Disney raised its rental fee from 47.3% to 53% of ticket sales, according to broadcaster Deutsche Welle. (Leo Barraclough) They also claim that Disney has cut its contribution to advertising costs, and gotten rid of advances for 3-D glasses. Quite the scandal if you ask me.
For some of the theaters in smaller towns, the rise in rental fee, along with the cost of digitization, and the rise in staff and marketing costs may force them out of business..."We are worried—particularly about Eastern Germany. When prices go up, then we have a serious problem that could force movie theaters to close," says Karl-Heinz Meier, representing theater owners of North Germany. (Leo Barraclough)
"This past weekend, cinemas in 193 towns across the country have joined the Disney boycott, refusing to screen Disney blockbuster 'Avengers: Age of Ultron.' (Scott Roxborough) For Disney to not meet the demands of the theaters would result in theaters of Germany banning all Disney titles, with the new 3-D animated 'Tinkerbell: Legend of the Neverbeast,' set to arrive in theaters April 30, next on the list.
There is quite a number in the amount of theaters involved in the Disney ban. However, most of these weren't even planning to screen some of the movies being banned..."The best estimates put the number of screens lost as a result of the ban at less than 200." (Scott Roxborough) As it happened though, the movie still played on more than 840 screens in its first weekend in Germany, pulling in $9.35 million. The 700 screens taking part in the boycott would have only mattered if they all planned on screening 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron.' The financial impact of the boycott was probably only about half a million dollars. This boycott might take a little more to win than thought.