WHV sees future in DVD premieres
Studio producing sequel to Dukes of Hazzard
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 5/30/2006
MAY 30 | Despite tightening shelf space at retail, Warner Home Video is expanding its DVD premiere business and will launch its first direct-to-disc sequel—to The Dukes of Hazzard—by next year.
The home entertainment unit and Warner Bros. Pictures will team on the production and distribution of 10 to 15 DVD premieres annually. These projects, budgeted at less than $5 million apiece, include WHV’s previously announced straight-to-DVD horror series under the Raw Feed banner.
Warner is ramping up DVD premieres in an increasingly mature disc market, when even major theatrical films must duke it out for attention at retail as consumer spending plateaus.
But certain DVD premieres have found success.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s The Sandlot 2 earned $13.9 million in 2005, according to VB research, nearing the $16.1 million haul of that year’s latest South Park installment. Fox is now gearing up to release three more high-profile DVD premiere sequels this year: Like Mike 2, Dr. Doolittle 3 and Behind Enemy Lines 2.
Backed by a high-profile theater trailer campaign, Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s DVD premiere American Pie Presents: Band Camp sold 1 million copies during street week. That rivaled disc activity of a $30 million-grossing theatrical film.
Warner’s Dukes of Hazzard DVD premiere should street by early 2007. This edition of Hazzard is not slated to feature the original theatrical stars, such as Johnny Knoxville or Jessica Simpson.
Warner Pictures’ production president Jeff Robinov and Warner Home Entertainment Group president Kevin Tsujihara will oversee a new studio unit dedicated to this latest burst of DVD premiere activity.
Yet Raw Feed, currently overseen by Warner’s theatrical catalog DVD unit, will continue to stay within WHV’s purview. It will remain separate from the studio’s forthcoming cross-divisional live-action DVD premieres.
Raw Feed’s first film, The Rest Stop, about a road trip gone bad, is slated to bow on DVD this October. Two additional Raw Feed films will hit retail in first-half 2007.
Robinov and Tsujihara are expected to hire an executive to handle day-to-day operations of the joint DVD premiere unit. Ten Warner staffers will report to the to-be-named exec.
At this point, there are few details about other planned films from the aligned theatrical and home entertainment divisions. Many DVD premieres will be sequels and prequels to Warner theatrical franchises.
“It will run the gamut,” promises WHV spokeswoman Ronnee Sass. “It’s all made for video. And there won’t be any competition” between upcoming joint studio division premieres and Raw Feed product.
Up until this year, the majority of Warner’s DVD premieres were animated family films, such as its Scooby-Doo series.
