Having only hit theaters in late October, many didn’t expect Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension or Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse to release digitally before the new year. But, low and behold, in rolling out a new initiative to digital sharing, Paramount has announced that both films will make their digital debuts very soon indeed.
While home entertainment launches are typically bound by the traditional three-month theatrical window, the studio confirmed today that The Ghost Dimension and Scout’s Guide will release digitally on December 8 and December 15, respectively.
In an official statement, Megan Colligan, President of Worldwide Distribution and Marketing for Paramount noted that low-key genre titles such as the pairing in question tend to have a shorter theatrical run than tentpole releases, though they’re still subject to the increasingly archaic three-month theatrical window.
It’s all part of a grander debate concerning the distribution of films across the board, be it high-profile blockbusters or small niche movies that would go straight to on-demand, as the financial burden of marketing a new release continues to take its toil. In terms of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Scout’s Guide releasing early, Paramount is reportedly gauging whether a shorter lifecycle in theaters will have an impact on the number of people that venture out to the cinema to catch the film during its original run.
The fact that each genre title proved to be a box office flop certainly had an effect, too, with box office figures revealing that both films pulled in a meagre $20 million between them domestically. Here’s the official word from Colligan:
“This innovative agreement with exhibitors enables us to make these two films available to home viewers much earlier than usual, following their natural lifecycle in theaters. This flexible distribution model allows us to maximize the revenue potential of these films, satisfy consumer demand through legitimate digital access, while respecting and preserving an exclusive theatrical window.”
In light of today’s announcement, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse will arrive on home entertainment come December 8 and December 15, respectively.