THEATER OWNER BALKS AT $60 VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

It’s hard to imagine that any theater chain would feel threatened by Universal Pictures’ announcement on Wednesday that it plans to release the Eddie Murphy-Ben Stiller comedy Tower Heist on “Premium Video-on-Demand” two weeks after it hits theaters in two test markets, Portland, OR and Atlanta, for $60. But the Cinemark chain wasted no time notifying Universal that if it goes ahead with its plans, it won’t show Tower Heist in any of its 3,800 theaters. Universal presumably upped the one-day VOD price after Cinemark, together with AMC and Regal theaters, voiced strong opposition earlier this year to a test that made movies available for half that price 60 days after their theatrical debut. AMC and Regal have thus far remained silent about Universal’s planned test, as has the National Association of Theatre Owners.