A Game-Changer in Digital Movie Distribution
Burbank, California (Our Hesperia) – In a significant move that could reshape the landscape of digital movie distribution, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has acquired Flixster, a popular movie discovery application, along with its subsidiary, the renowned movie review website Rotten Tomatoes. This acquisition, valued between $60 million and $90 million, marks a strategic step for Warner Bros. in its quest to dominate the digital content ownership and distribution space.
What This Means for Hesperia Movie Enthusiasts
Flixster, with its impressive user base of over 25 million worldwide users per month, has been a go-to platform for movie discovery. The application, which boasts over 35 million downloads across various mobile platforms, including Android, Blackberry, iPad, and iPhone, has become an integral part of how many people choose which movies to watch.
For Hesperia residents who rely on Flixster for movie recommendations or Rotten Tomatoes for critical reviews, this acquisition promises enhanced services and potentially more seamless access to digital content. Warner Bros. plans to expand Flixster’s services beyond movie discovery, enabling digital content ownership and delivery across any connected digital device.
The Bigger Picture: Warner Bros.’ Digital Strategy
This acquisition is part of Warner Bros.’ broader strategy to grow digital content ownership. The studio plans to leverage Flixster’s brand and technical expertise to launch several initiatives, including a new consumer application called “Digital Everywhere”. This application aims to be a one-stop destination for consumers to organize and access their entire digital library from any device, as well as share recommendations and discover new content.
Kevin Tsujihara, President of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, emphasized the importance of this move, stating, “Driving the growth of digital ownership is a central, strategic focus for Warner Bros. The acquisition of Flixster will allow us to advance that strategy and promote initiatives that will help grow digital ownership”.
Impact on the Movie Industry
This acquisition could potentially disrupt the current landscape of online streaming and movie discovery services. With Netflix currently leading in paid video services, Warner Bros.’ acquisition of Flixster positions the studio to compete more effectively in this space.
Moreover, this move aligns with Warner Bros.’ support of the UltraViolet format, a cloud-based storage system that allows consumers to watch their digital entertainment across multiple platforms. This combination of Flixster’s social platform, Rotten Tomatoes’ review aggregation, and Warner Bros.’ content library could create a powerful ecosystem for movie enthusiasts.
While Warner Bros. has stated that Flixster and Rotten Tomatoes will remain fully independent, with their respective teams continuing to operate autonomously, it will be interesting to see how this acquisition influences the platforms in the long run. For Hesperia moviegoers, this could mean more integrated services, easier access to digital content, and potentially new features that enhance the movie-watching experience.
As the battle for online streaming services intensifies, this acquisition positions Warner Bros. as a formidable player in the digital entertainment space. Hesperia residents and movie enthusiasts everywhere should keep an eye on how this development unfolds, as it could significantly impact how we discover, access, and enjoy movies in the digital age.
