Sony Pictures understands the market is changing and may be willing to alter how long it takes before a movie is released on DVD or Blu-ray.
Sony is willing to experiment with earlier DVD release release windows, but officials haven't announced specific titles that they will test the waters with.
"With the decline in DVDs, I think we need to start looking at different ways of going at it," said Michael Lynton, Sony Pictures CEO, in an interview with BusinessWeek. "We need to find alternative revenue sources if we're going to keep making movies."
Walt Disney pictures has removed a couple of weeks from the industry-norm 17-week window when a movie leaves theaters and is released on DVD or Blu-ray.
Movie studios used to receive anywhere from $10 to $14 of each new movie sold on DVD, but that number has dropped significantly as the industry continues its evolution.
Studios have significantly altered the way they do business, as the industry tackles issues related to Netflix, Redbox, piracy, and other impacts. For example, both Redbox and Netflix have now agreed to push back Warner movie rental availability 28 days -- giving the studio additional time sell new release DVD's to the public.
Netflix and Redbox now face a class-action lawsuit regarding the 28-day rental window, although I'm rather skeptical about Susan Uman's argument that the delay window is a "scheme to restrain trade."
It's likely that other movie studios have also discussed shortening the amount of time between a theatrical release and DVD -- but so far they are remaining silent on the matter.
