Anna Daniels
Producers, studios, and filmmakers are all holding out hope that most movie theaters will be back up and running again soon. But as that continues to seem less and less likely, some distributors are making the decision to forgo the theatrical experience entirely and head right to VOD. The latest movie to take this approach is The High Note, a comedy starring Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross. The movie was originally aiming for a May 8 theatrical release, but will now premiere at home on demand at the end of the month.
The High Note
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy8lUfePOZs?feature=oembed&w=740&h=416]
Movie theaters were very upset with Universal for sidestepping theaters entirely and dropping Trolls: World Tour on digital. Will theater owners now direct their ire towards Focus Features, who are doing the same thing with The High Note? I doubt it. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if more and more studios start taking this approach.
Many are resistant to the idea, and I get it. People value the theatrical experience, and theatrical is where the real money is. But while some states, like Georgia and Texas, have made moves to open movie theaters early, other states are waiting. Everyone seems to have their eyes on July, and the potential release of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. But even that isn’t a sure thing. And on the chance that movie theaters are up and running again by then, it’s hard to believe they’ll be operating at full capacity. And capacity is the name of the game for most studios – they want the seats packed.
With that in mind, accepting VOD releases as a way to find the widest audiences possible might just be everyone’s next best bet. The folks behind The High Note certainly think so, as they’re releasing the film at home on demand on May 29. You’ll be able to rent the film for 48-hours for $19.99, should you so desire. Star Tracee Ellis Ross released the following video announcing the digital release.
Here’s The High Note synopsis:
Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross), a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights, and Maggie (Dakota Johnson), her overworked personal assistant. While stuck running errands, Maggie still aspires to her childhood dream of becoming a music producer. When Grace’s manager (Ice Cube) presents her with a choice that could alter the course of her career, Maggie and Grace come up with a plan that could change their lives forever.
The High Note comes from Late Night director Nisha Ganatra and also stars Kelvin Harrison Jr., Zoe Chao, Eddie Izzard, June Diane Raphael, Bill Pullman, and Diplo.
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