February 1, 2012 02:44 pm EDT

Redbox refuses to push Warner movie delay to 56 days, will rent flicks as they go on sale

Two years after bending to Warner's demands and delaying its kiosk rentals 28 days in exchange for lower acquisition costs and a steady supply of Blu-ray discs, Redbox announced the agreement has expired. This comes as a result of Warner's desire to extend the delay between the time movies are available for purchase to the time they can be rented in kiosks or by subscription to 56 days, and instead Redbox will go back to buying the studio's movies at retail -- coincidentally, it has renewed its lease agreement with Walmart for 3,700 retail locations for three more years. While that means more expense and possibly unsure supply for Redbox -- we'll wait and see if retailer interference is an issue again -- the good news for consumers is that for the time being, they'll have the choice of renting as soon as movies go on sale. The first flick affected by the new reality is A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, so until Warner backs off, or Redbox blinks once its streaming service comes into play, then go forth and enjoy those $1.10 rentals freely.

[Thanks, Stephen]

Continue reading Redbox refuses to push Warner movie delay to 56 days, will rent flicks as they go on sale

Redbox refuses to push Warner movie delay to 56 days, will rent flicks as they go on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Variety, Company Town, Redbox / Walmart agreement ||Comments

Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/redbox-warner-rental-deal-expires-56-day-delay/

View Full Article

Engadget

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics. Engadget was launched in March of 2004 in partnership with the Weblogs, Inc. Network (WI

More About this Source Visit Engadget