Marcus Theatres Boss Calls On Studios To Delay Home Release Promos During Theatrical Window
Marcus Theatres chief Greg Marcus is urging film studios to delay promotions that tell audiences a film is available to watch at home while it is still in cinemas. He argues such messages can make viewers think a film has moved online unusually quickly, encouraging them to wait and weakening ticket sales.
Marcus says research suggests transactional rentals attract a similar number of buyers whether they begin in week two or week eight, while a longer cinema run could lift box office revenue. Premium rentals typically cost $20 to $25, and the move to free streaming is generally around 90 days after cinema release. Studio windows vary: Universal has pledged a 45-day cinema window for major releases from 2027, while Skydance has committed to 45 days before rentals and 90 days before subscription streaming, with limits on home-viewing promotions. Marcus also said younger audiences are returning to cinemas, though he would like more adults drawn back by dramas and comedies.
In short
- Greg Marcus wants studios to delay home-viewing promotions during cinema runs.
- He says rental demand may be similar from week two to week eight.
- Younger audiences are returning, but Marcus wants more adults back too.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Delaying home-viewing promotions could help audiences see a film’s cinema run as an event and reduce the impression that it will be available at home almost immediately. A longer exclusive window may protect ticket sales and give cinemas more time to reach viewers, while studios could still earn rental revenue later.
The case against
Studios may reasonably argue that timely home-viewing promotions help audiences find films and serve people who cannot or prefer not to attend cinemas. Rental demand may be similar whether rentals begin earlier or later, so delaying promotion could sacrifice useful revenue or convenience without reliably increasing cinema attendance.
Explained simply
Marcus Theatres is a large US cinema chain, and Greg Marcus leads the company. Film studios make and distribute films, and decide when they become available to rent or stream at home after their cinema release.
The period when a film is shown in cinemas before reaching home viewing is often called its release window. Studios set different windows, and films may become available to rent before they are included in a subscription streaming service. Cinema owners depend on ticket sales, while studios earn money from both cinema releases and home viewing.
The timing matters because audiences may choose to wait for a film to become available at home. Cinema chains and studios therefore have an interest in how films are promoted and when home-viewing options are advertised.
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