Theaters, studios squabbling over who will pay for 3D
by Richard Lawler 
posted Apr 7th 2009 at 1:31PM
We're not hopping off the 3D bandwagon, but just when things couldn't be going any better a fight over money could knock things off course. Fox apparently informed theaters it wouldn't foot the $1 million bill to cover 3D glasses for Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and already word is leaking out that the nation's largest theater chain Regal Cinemas is planning to only screen the flick in 2D, with AMC Theaters and Cinemark poised to follow suit. For its part, Fox is claiming no exhibitor has said they won't be showing Ice Age in 3D and they're only "working out the issues." Of course if they did, the plan of offering 3D as something audiences can't get at home could be turned on its head quickly.[Via Cinematical]
Filed under: Misc
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
iouttolunch @ Apr 7th 2009 2:15PM
Guess fox just doesnt have faith in their product, cause 1 million sounds like small potatoes compared to what even a mediocre movie will gross, dont it?
Common @ Apr 7th 2009 2:49PM
Studios have been beating down the theaters for years now. That's why all the prices at the theaters are so high. Theaters dont make much off of the movie itself (studios see to that) so when a theater charges alot for concession.... blame the studios
The Fuzz 53 @ Apr 7th 2009 2:57PM
A 3-D movie in my town costs $13.50 to get into. I figured that's who was paying for it.
The Fuzz 53 @ Apr 7th 2009 2:59PM
Oh, and the other week when I saw Watchmen, I went to the theaters, All-day matinee Tuesday night expecting to be charged the matinee price of $6.50, and the guy tells me the stuido won't allow them to have any deals on that movie, and I have to pay the normal full price.
Jburton @ Apr 7th 2009 3:24PM
After seeing Monsters vs Aliens at the Camelot in Greenville, SC... I would not pay for that. They never could get the focus right at the center of the screen, and the action in the center was awful! My 9 year old daughter said, "Dad, this look terrible, can we leave!" We went to another theater not playing it in 3-D and watched it.
Until I can be sure we will have a good experience, I'm not spending my money on that!
ShaolinDolemite @ Apr 8th 2009 7:35PM
Wow, that's crazy. Every time I've made the trek down there I've been really impressed with that theater. You gotta let the manager know, they were pretty cool about it when I had a small problem.
Bob @ Apr 7th 2009 4:21PM
We went to see the “Monsters vs. Aliens” movie at out local 3D IMAX theatre and I got say we loved the movie but the 3D experience was absolutely eye dropping great.
sixftbean @ Apr 7th 2009 5:05PM
Who's paying for it? We are. I got charged $2 per ticket extra for "3-D Glasses Usage" when I took the kids to see Monsters vs Aliens this weekend.
Joe T. @ Apr 7th 2009 5:04PM
3D is the only reason we go to the theater anymore. Otherwise, we wait for the disk and watch it in our media room.
Nick B. @ Apr 7th 2009 7:01PM
My local 3D theaters charge $2.50-$3.00 for those glasses. EVERY time you see the 3D show. I tried bringing the glasses from "Journey to the Center of the Earth" to "Coraline" and was told the theater "can't waive the glasses fee", they charged me and so I took the glasses home with me - unused. BUT, the best part was that they had the gall to put a "recycle your 3D glasses Here!" bin outside of the theater! So, do they simply wipe off and rebag those glasses? or send them somewhere to be cleaned and rebagged? so they can be sold again? If the theater said "3D movies are $3.00 extra due to equipment/contract costs" instead of "$3 for the 3D glasses - which MUST be purchased", I wouldn't be so upset...
I also tried to talk to the theater manager, but was unable to find anyone working there over the age of 15 and whose voice didn't squeak! ;)
Brian Kaempen @ Apr 7th 2009 7:14PM
Does that $1M amount sound strange to anyone else? It sounds like WAY too much to be per screen, but for that to be thousands of screens sounds too little. Do you think that amount is for say 1,000 screens which would put the per screen amount at $1,000? I know that Sony 2K CineAlta projects, the little brothers of the 4K CineAltas that Muvico uses, are just shy of $100,000, so where's this $1M figure coming from?
-Brian