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PREMIUM VOD COMES OF AGE…
…WITH WICKED RESULTS…
…AND IT’S “POPULAR” IN THE UK TOO…
ADMISSIONS RISE AT UK CINEMAS
ARROW INKS SHUDDER DEAL
BEAVERS SPOTTED AROUND THE UK
SECOND SIGHT READIES CRONENBERG BRACE…
…RADIANCE REVEALS APRIL SLATE…
CRITERION PUTS ON A PERFORMANCE FOR MARCH
KRONOS RETURNS FOR REJUVENATED HAMMER
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
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It was a good week for… Premium VOD, while UK box office admissions wewre up in 2024…
It was a bad week for… Lots of apparent snubs in the BAFTA nominations, here's the full list here (more on this next time)…
We’ve been watching… We've been reviewing physical media for the next issue of Film Stories, and also caught up with A Complete Unknown, which is excellent…
Attendees at the BASE and DEGI The Annual Wrap & Industry Outlook day in December repeatedly heard delegates and speakers discussing premium VOD and early releases of films on digital while they were still playing in cinemas, with a majority saying that this is an area with plenty of growth potential and the positive figures and trends were all showing that the public was becoming more and more conversant with the concept – there was a real opportunity here. Studios have long been eager to see premium VOD become a thing – Disney was discussing it as far back as a decade ago, 2014, although it reported then that “nothing substantial has come of it”. As then Walt Disney Studios president (now co-chairman of Disney Alan Bergman noted: “I don’t see any substantial changes (in premium VOD growing from the major studios) in the next few years.” But Universal’s soaring success with Wicked – $70 million in PVOD receipts in its first seven days in the US, as it continued to rake in cash at the global box office (it’s now at more than $700 million worldwide and is now the highest grossing Broadway musical adaptation ever – has shown the potential prize for studios and distributors. As US trade Hollywood Reporter noted: “That is the biggest first day and biggest first week for a Universal theatrical title going to PVOD, and on its first day did double the business of Universal’s next-best performer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
Universal has led the way in the US with its PVOD titles, as further noted un the Hollywood Reporter article. It said: “In 2020, Universal’s Filmed Entertainment Group became the first studio to strike a landmark deal with top exhibitors that formalised a plan for a premium transactional window that would allow consumers to watch first-run movies in the home far sooner than the norm. (It was previously 75 days to 90 days). Several other studios quickly followed suit, and PVOD has since been a boon for many films. For Universal, PVOD has become an integral component of its business plan and has accounted for more than $1.5 billion in consumer spend to date on titles from Universal Pictures, Focus Features or DreamWorks Animation. It may seem counter-intuitive, but going in the home as early as 30 to 40 days doesn’t mean it hurts a tentpole’s box office profile.” That same trade at the time said the date Universal inked its first PVOD deal radically shortening the window between theatrical and home releases – at a premium – “marked a milestone”. At the time, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chair Donna Langley said: “Here’s what we firmly believe: It is additive, not the opposite. You are enabling someone to see a movie in a variety of different ways. It meets the consumer where the consumer is, and it’s answering the very real and stated desires of the audience. I can’t tell you the number of times I leave a theatre with my kids, having seen whatever great movie just came out, and because they don’t understand windows, they want to see it again immediately. They want to go home and get to watch it. To be able to walk out of the theatre and say, ‘You know what, we can see it in two or three weeks at home.’ I think it will drive a lot of transactions.”
While Universal only shared Wicked figures for the US, the title has also become a PVOD release in the UK too, and has been boosted by some high profile marketing from Universal’s home entertainment arm. See below for some pictures of its impressive marketing, but in the meantime, here’s the company’s Emily Evans, the marketing manager tasked with looking after the premium release, who said: “I am delighted that Wicked has continued to defy expectations in its home entertainment release. It’s been a privilege to work on such a ‘Popular’ film… there really is nowhere like home to watch Wicked. Pop down to Tottenham Court Road tube station to see our magical cross-track domination if you haven’t already.”
And still the year-end figures are coming through, with plenty still to come – there’s more due shortly from BASE as well, in the second, more detailed analysis of what happened in 2024 due to land shortly. The latest figures come from the theatrical side of the business and the Cinema Advertising Association. And they confirm what the UK Cinema Association said was the “remarkable recovery” of the UK box office in the final part of the year. For cinema admissions in 2024 totalled 126,514,784, a rise of 2.3 per cent year-on-year. And given that as November started, the year’s admissions were down seven per cent on 2023, there was, as the UK Cinema Association said, “much ground to be made up”. Much of the earlier, poorer performance at cinemas has been put down to the lack of major blockbuster outings, itself down to the previous year’s strike action. But, as the announcement from the organisation noted, the lure of bigger films in the final two months of the year proved to be too much: “While November admissions were an incredible 77 per cent up on the same month in 2023, December saw 15,679,232 admissions, up almost 36 per cent on the previous year and proving to be the biggest cinema-going month of 2024. While modest, the overall increase in admissions of 2.3 per cent on 2023 saw the UK sector out-perform not just the US but also all other major European film territories. Iain Jacob, chair of the cross-industry body Cinema First, said: “Cinema retains a unique position in the hearts of the public, combining a unique social experience with sheer joy and escapism. When great films are combined with all of the investments we have seen in the modern cinema environment, audiences follow their passion for a fantastic trip out. In November and December alone audiences were up by over 52 per cent. Looking at 2025, we have a fantastic slate including Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Captain America: Brave New World, Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning, 28 Years Later, F1, Superman, Wicked: For Good and Avatar: Fire and Ash to look forward to, with the best ever sound, seating and food and drink options on offer to audiences. 2025 will be a big year for UK cinema.”
Arrow has kicked off 2025 in style by unveiling a deal with international horror film streaming service Shudder and its parent AMC Networks, which will see the imprint giving the Arrow treatment to eight of the streaming specialist’s Shudder Originals titles on both sides of the Atlantic. The deal sees some being released just in the UK, some in North America and some across both, all will be Arrow trademark limited edition physical media releases, complete with bespoke sleeves, Blu-ray extras and booklets. The octet includes Deadstream, The Sadness, Speak No Evil and Huesera The Bone Woman in the UK, Hellbender in the US and Canada and Nightwatch and Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever as well as Perpetrator across all territories. All are Blu-ray only, apart from The Sadness, which will also be released in a 4K UHD SKU. Arrow director of sales and marketing Dean Lawson commented: "After years of working with the AMC team licensing many films from the Arrow Video catalogue for the vaunted Shudder platform, it’s fantastic to now showcase a selection of their Originals on physical media in 2025.” VP of programming for Shudder Sam Zimmerman added: “Arrow’s stellar work is a staple of our shelves. To see Shudder films get the treatment is a privilege and a delight.”
The Raygun covered Hundreds Of Beavers, Lightbulb Film Distribution’s cult film in the making on its theatrical and home entertainment releases last year, but the title continues to grow its impressive reputation, which belies its super-low budget status. And the film is about to go on a mammoth tour o the UK at cinemas which is set to give its a further boost. Outlining the plans, Lightbulb’s Matthew Kreuzer said: “We are super excited to be welcoming the main star of Hundreds Of Beavers, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews to the UK and Ireland later this week. He’ll be starting his 40 date tour with two sell-out shows at The Prince Charles Cinema and one at Finsbury Park Picturehouse. He then embarks on a three and a half month tour of England, Wales, Scotland, and ends the tour with four dates in Ireland in early May. It’s been an absolute joy organising this road trip, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the interest and support from so many of the independent cinemas who supported the film the first-time round; and pleasingly some new sites who have never played the film before. Massive thanks must go to Issy Macleod and the team from Picturehouse who got behind this bonkers Beavers’ tour idea from the start and have now booked 16 of their cinemas to run the show with their cinema teams reaching out daily to get involved in the event and wearing the crazy costumes.”
 Boutique labels and independent imprints have welcomed the new year in with a raft of new announcements, with a trio of companies offering up details of releases due later in the year. Second Sight was one of those, with news of a brace of titles due in March which will have genre fans positively salivating. For the company is giving its full treatment to not one but two titles from legendary horror helmer David Cronenberg. The Brood and Scanners are available in limited edition and standard SKUs, both have been given a 4k restoration overseen by body horror legend Cronenberg himself. The films are now revered as horror classics, coming through the video nasty era and establishing and elevating themselves as prime examples of Cronenberg’s early works, with each title being given a wealth of extras and additional features on the discs (both come with UHD and Blu-ray Discs), looking at the director and placing the films into the context of his career, with both new and archival materials. The limited edition SKUs come in a rigid slipcase alongside a 120-page book with essays and features. Commenting on the releases, Second Sight’s Chris Holden said: “We’re thrilled to be giving two of Cronenberg’s most loved titles our limited edition treatment following our new 4K restorations. Feedback has been great, including a lot of love for our newly commissioned artwork. We’re expecting these to fly out!”
Radiance has announced its titles due in April, with a suitably diverse slate due on the 28th of the month. The company’s Fran Simeoni talked us through the slate, saying: “We're thrilled with the reaction to our latest titles, Seijun Suzuki is a fan favourite and the presentation of A Tale Of Sorrow And Sadness in a world premiere Blu-ray has fans buzzing for those in the know and newcomers alike for Suzuki's signature blend of delirious aesthetics and off the wall narratives. We are also delighted to be presenting Valerio Zurlini in the UK for the first time ever with a stunning new 4K restoration of his masterpiece Girl With A Suitcase starring screen icon Claudia Cardinale in her breakout role. We also return to four hour epics and Jacques Rivette with his late masterpiece Va Savoir, showcasing his director's cut for the first time ever with English subtitles, the longer version is not only the director's preferred edit but also that of Rivette experts so we are privileged to be making that available for fans. River Of Grass is the final Radiance release for the month, Kelly Reichardt's debut was released only as an extra in SD quality but now with a 2K restoration this formative work deserves much better and we're glad to provide it, with an audio commentary, interview, video essay and more. Our final release is a collaboration with Raro Video and is the well regarded Italian crime film Killer Cop by Giallo master Luciano Ercoli. The film makes its UK debut and comes with reversible art, booklet and a new commentary.” 
Criterion has also revealed its forthcoming titles, this time for the month of March, with a classic slice of Nicolas Roeg alongside monsters and drugs, as outlined by Spirit’s Tracy Niland, who said: “Criterion is really spoiling us as we head towards the end of the first quarter of 2025 with some classic crime thrillers and another Godzilla. March 3 sees the release of Nicolas Roeg and Donald Cammell’s Performance starring Mick Jagger on 4K and Blu-Ray. Both formats feature an approved 4k restoration (with the 4K also in HDR) and sit alongside a number of documentaries, a new visual essay and other bonus content. Arriving just in time for Valentine’s Day is Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy (great for gifting), Matt Dillon stars in this dark and unsettling journey across the Northwest Pallisades with a group of addicts robbing pharmacies along to the way to get their fix. Out on both 4K and Blu-ray featuring a new 4K restoration overseen by Van Sant himself alongside his Cinematographer Robert Yeoman, there’s also a commentary, documentaries and new interviews for this release. Finally on March 24 Godzilla Vs Biollante is unleashed on 4K and Blu-Ray. A sequel to 1984’s Return of Godzilla (and the second film of the Heisei Era) released in 1989, it is now getting the full treatment with a 4k release alongside Blu-ray. A new 4K restoration with 5.0 surround DTS-HD, this classic Godzilla release is treat for the fans with brand new audio commentary, documentaries, deleted special effects and a brand new essay.”
Legendary horror studio Hammer has just celebrated its 90th anniversary, having been launched in 1934, and the famous name has been rejuvenated under the new ownership headed up by theatre impresario John Gore. Moreover, January 27 sees the first home entertainment release under the revived banner, with the launch of a special limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray edition of classic 1970s Hammer flick Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter. It should prove to be the first in a series of releases and comes complete with a raft of extras, including a new feature-length documentary about about writer and director Brian Clemens, commentaries from Clemens; sons Sam and George and star Caroline Munro and more spread across two UHD discs and three Blu-rays, all wrapped up in special packaging and containing art cards, poster, a booklet and reprinted comic featuring the cartoon adventures taken from a Hammer magazine. Hammer Films’ CEO and chairman John Gore said: “Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter represents the adventurous spirit of Hammer in the 1970s – a bold blend of horror, action and fantasy that was ahead of its time. This 4K restoration allows us to finally present the film in its full glory, and I’m thrilled that it’s the first of many Hammer Films restorations.” Star Caroline Munro added: “I have such fond memories of working on Captain Kronos. It was a true passion project and seeing it restored in 4K is like watching it with new eyes. Fans are in for a real treat with this release - it looks stunning and captures all the excitement we felt making it.” And the son of writer/director Brian Clemens, Sam, further praised the restoration. He said: “My father was always proud of Captain Kronos. He saw it as a fresh take on the vampire mythos and a character who could have spawned a series. This 4K restoration is the version he would have wanted fans to experience.”
An interesting sidebar to one of last year’s more divisive films, Alien: Romulus, which left some feeling disappointed, while others were more attuned to Fede Alvarez’ latest addition to the long-running horror sci-fi franchise. Much of the criticism came from a scene involving Ian Holm, the late actor who starred in the first film, as his android character Rook returned in a scene that was created with CGI and saw, with the family’s permission, Holm/Rook talking about the xenomorph creatures, albeit with some rather poor effects. But in a major interview with the new issue of Empire, out now, to promote the film’s home entertainment release (also out now, Alvarez admitted that the scene and effects had been improved ahead of the Blu-ray, DVD and digital bow. He told the magazine: “We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right. I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them. We fixed it. We made it better for the release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better. [Animatronic puppeteer] Shane Mahan actually did this animatronic of Ian Holm based on a head cast from Lord Of The Rings, and that was the only one in existence. What we did [for the home entertainment version] was revert a lot more to the puppet. It’s way better.”
SPOTTED OUT AND ABOUT
Here's those Wicked premium VOD spots in situ…
  TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
No, you’re crying…
The kind of Robert De Niro film we all want to see…
So many spy movies…
Stop Monkeying around…
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