Movie 'Storm In A Teacup' Continues...

The latest 3D blockbuster, Alice In Wonderland will now be screened in all Vue cinemas after the chain managed to enter a crisis-breaking "far reaching agreement" with Disney.

The Tim Burton film, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry will be screened from March 5th in 69 cinemas across the UK and Ireland. Another chain - Cineworld has said it will also be showing the film.

Due to a dispute with the film company regarding reducing the gap between the film's cinema debut and DVD release to 12 weeks rather than the usual 17, there have been fears that Vue would back the Odeon which is to continue to boycott the film.

Some cinemas are said to be outraged after spending millions of pounds on 3D equipment in the belief that studios' terms would remain the same.

They feared the proposals would set a new benchmark, leading to the 12 week window becoming standard.

From the film company's perspective, the shortening gap between the cinema launch and DVD release would help curb illegal DVD copies, while advertising campaigns will be fresher in the minds of consumers.

However the move will significantly reduce the amount of investment for both large and small cinemas, particularly after upgrading to accomodate the feature.

It is said that Disney's decision to only show Alice in Wonderland for 12 weeks on the silver screen will also threaten the future of smaller cinemas.

Odeon's boycott, branded "a storm in a teacup" by film experts is however continuing, with the movie chain set to refuse support for the film "as a result of Disney's insistence on reducing at short notice the theatrical window on a major 3D title."

(BMcN)