I’ve long been a vocal supporter of worldwide, simultaneous release for high-profile Hollywood films. If you want to solve the piracy problem, that’s the way to do it. For some reason, Hollywood continues to resist it. In fact, now they’re taking a step in the wrong direction. Sony is planning to release Spider-Man 3 in Japan three days before it opens in the United States.
What’s their reason? They aren’t talking. Sony’s exects merely informed The Hollywood Reporter that the film opens in Japan on May 1st, after a star-studded premiere there on April 16th. And it’s not just Japan getting it early. It’s opening earlier in parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia too.
Look, I’m not complaining because I want to see the movie first. Our international friends get the shaft on release dates all the time, it’s only fair that they finally get something earlier. But by doing this Sony has inverted the piracy problem on Spidey 3. Hop on line the day after it premieres in Japan and you’ll probably find tons of pirated copies online being downloaded by Americans who don’t want to wait three more days to see the film. It’s going to happen. By releasing it this way, Sony has assured it. So let’s hear no complaints about Americans downloading pirated copies of Spidey 3 Sony. You asked for it.
