Skip to main content

Hate waiting for movies on disc? New Paramount deal sends flicks to DVD faster

At least two new movies are going to be released in home-viewing formats much sooner than usual — with more hopefully on the way — thanks to a new deal Paramount has reached with AMC Theaters and Cineplex. Though limited in scope so far, the deal seeks to shorten the time from cinema to home theater, and if the trial takes off, it could change movie distribution timelines for good.

Time reports that the two upcoming movies in question, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, will be released on DVD and digital formats just two weeks their theatrical run shrinks to 300 theaters or less. Although theaters have traditionally pushed to have a longer window to maximize ticket sales, movie studios are trying to remain competitive as the entertainment industry becomes extremely saturated with various forms of content. According to Time, Paramount hopes to increase the number of films for which it can have an abbreviated release window and has even conceded some of the revenue from digital views, including iTunes downloads, to theater owners as an incentive.

Recommended Videos

With our binge-watching culture, we seem to be growing increasingly impatient when it comes to our entertainment, so Paramount’s move is understandable. On top of that, Netflix now doubles as a film studio, and the company plans to make certain movies available online on the same day that they open. The standard 90-day minimum release window that theaters have traditionally enjoyed may become a thing of the past.

Don’t expect the change to come easily, though. TIME previously reported that theater chains, including AMC, Regal, and Cinemark, are boycotting Netflix’s much-anticipated sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in light of the release format. A Regal spokesman announced in a statement that “at Regal we will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to [three inches] wide on a smart phone. We believe the choice for truly enjoying a magnificent movie is clear.”

For now, we’ll be happy with shorter release times. Best get your home theater ready!

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
If you have to watch one Hulu show this July, stream this one
A man holding a gun stares into the eyes of a woman.

Although it doesn’t receive the same attention as Netflix, and it’s now sort of integrated into Disney+, Hulu remains a pretty excellent source for TV, especially for shows oriented toward adults. If you want to watch something on Hulu, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a particular show in mind. 

Thankfully, that’s where we come in. If you’re looking for a Hulu show to watch this July, we’d recommend checking out The Great. This satirical look at the rise of Catherine the Great is well worth checking out, even if it doesn’t sound like the kind of show you’d usually enjoy. Here are three reasons why: 

Read more
3 rom-coms on Netflix you need to watch in July 2025
A woman and a man stand next to each other.

The romance section on Netflix has some heavy hitters in July. What's more romantic than The Notebook? The beautiful drama starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams has not aged one bit. Trust me, crying remains mandatory, especially at the end. Speaking of tears, A Star Is Born will have you riding the entire wave of emotions from start to finish.

While those two movies are undoubtedly charming, they will leave you in a puddle. This article features three rom-coms that should put you in a better mood. Check out our picks and their streaming information below. 

Read more
3 underrated HBO Max movies you should watch this weekend (July 11-13)
A group of people stand in a line and look.

Last week marked the arrival of Sinners, which is in the running for the movie event of 2025. Ryan Coogler's vampiric horror stars Michael Jordan as twin brothers who return to their hometown to open a juke joint. The opening night transforms into a nightmare with the arrival of a supernatural creature with sinister intentions.

Sinners is now available to stream on the newly named HBO Max. Beyond Sinners, the streamer has an abundance of underrated movies waiting to be streamed. One of our picks is The Suicide Squad, James Gunn's first crack at a DC story. View all three selections below.

Read more