A small theatrical run is becoming a practice now, as more and more titles are comfortable running parallel releases, one on VOD and another in theaters. Even the VOD cost is sometimes higher than ticket prices, especially in India.
As Wonka, after an overwhelmingly celebrated box office success, the film is coming to VOD on January 22nd, and some big titles might follow Willy Wonka sooner than anticipated.
Firstly, DC’s Aquaman, after an unexpectedly okay-ish run, is about to exit the box office market and enter homes. The makers have confirmed that Aquaman will be swimming in the OTT space from January 23rd. But he won’t be alone.
Disney’s disastrous Wish will also follow Aquaman, and that too from the same date. Now, the pricing for buying and renting is yet to be out, but it’s a well-known fact that VOD for these two films isn’t worth it. Yes, if you are a hardcore fan, then the equations change, but for general viewing, it’s not worth it.
In terms of the animation space, it is also being speculated that Universal’s latest success, Migration, will also be releasing on the same day. Quite the battle for January 23rd, but for Indian viewers, it’s nothing more than a facade as the titles will soon reign in the OTT sphere anyway.