If you're mission is to ensure that your butt has a seat to call its own when Zack Snyder's Man of Steel arrives in theaters this summer, you're out of luck if you plan on grabbing tickets from AMC, Clearview, or whatever your local movie theater chain may be. Get out of line at your local joint, and get over to Wal-Mart.
The retail giant is the only place to buy tickets for the first US screening so we can watch the big boy blue scout pound Zod into the Phantom Zone.
Despite what will likely be criticized as an unfair partnership, it's a fairly smart move for Time Warner at least, given the sheer number of Wal-Marts around the country. On the flip side, it could be argued as a risky venture for Wal-Mart, as Superman movies, hell, arguably any DC movie that's not a Nolan styled Batman, haven't been performing admirably in neither home sales, nor the box office.
The deal is the first of its kind, and offers Time Warner free advertising at over 3,700 Wal-Marts across the states, as well as a boost to DVD sales from the retailer. Those who buy theater tickets from Wal-Mart get a code to preorder the film on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download, with extra content not otherwise available.
Warner's president of domestic distribution, Dan Fellman, tells The Wall Street Journal the partnership could expand the opening-night audience for "Man of Steel" beyond the fans who get their tickets online. "The exposure this will give us is something different," he says. "I want to experiment and see how it works."
The chain will sell tickets to screenings at over 2,300 theaters the night before the film officially opens, June 13.
