Sir Peter Jackson has thrown his support behind a proposed service that would allow people to watch movies at home the same day they are released at the cinema.
Subscribers to Screening Room would pay $50 per new release and have 48 hours to watch the film.
The Oscar-winning director says the service is an inevitable move in the industry.
Blockbuster movies like Batman Versus Superman are big business, and opening night at the cinema is usually a good pointer to success or failure.
But what if you can't make the movie theatre; what if you could pay to watch the film at home?
"When the likes of Peter Jackson says it's an innovative concept everyone sits up and takes notice, so I think the jury's out and we'll see what transpires over the coming months," says president of Motion Picture Distributors' Association of New Zealand Peter Garner.
Sir Peter has publically given his support to Screening Room, the brainchild of Facebook's founding president, Sean Parker.
"As a concept it may well work and there will be some people out there who will invest $200 to get the set box and get the movie for 48 hours, so it'll suit some and wont suit others," says Mr Garner.
It'll be $150 to set up the service and a further $50 for each movie, but importantly you get to watch it the moment it's released at the cinema. So will this signal the death of the movie theatre?
"I think sitting in a full movie theatre of 220 people all laughing your heads off or crying or screaming is something you can't replicate in the home environment," says Mr Garner.
Box office sales at the movies are going well in New Zealand. The big favourite at the moment is Hunt for the Wilderpeople. That's taken nearly $4 million in just three weeks.
More twists and turns to come in this plot, but remember the next Hollywood blockbuster could be coming to a screen much nearer you.
Newshub.
