Disney and Sony have started test programs to make first-run theatrical releases available as on-demand rentals.  Studios have been experimenting with limited release windows to push up DVD releases, but this is the first time studios have dabbled in simultaneous availability.

With sales falling for in-home physical media (like DVDs) and internet piracy cutting into margins, studios have been trying to figure out how to bring movies to in-home media more quickly without angering theater owners.  They haven’t had much success on American soil yet - most domestic theater chains demand 90 days of exclusive rights to a movie.

Studios will watch the Disney and Sony experiments with interest.  But for now, if you aren’t down with buying a ticket to see Death Blow or Cry, Cry Again during their domestic theatrical run, you’ll need to find a good bootlegger.