You can find just about anything that you need on Amazon, but when it comes to certain movies, the online retailer may be starting to make things a bit harder to get. While Amazon has been putting much focus and money on creating original content for its streaming service, customers can still find physical copies of their favorite movies available to purchase on the site. However, now only Amazon Prime members can order DVDs or Blu-rays for Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney titles.
As spotted by Slate, non-Prime members are unable to order physical copies of movies such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, and Beauty and the Beast (three of the highest grossing movies of 2017). For example, when searching for The Last Jedi, the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD versions are all listed as "Exclusively for Prime Members" at Amazon's site. The same is true for The Force Awakens, some live action Disney titles from the last few years, and almost the entire MCU collection (minus The Incredible Hulk). Additionally, you cannot pre-order upcoming releases like Black Panther and A Wrinkle in Time on Amazon.
From the looks of it, Amazon has only done this for titles that fall under Disney ownership, as movies like Tomb Raider are already available for pre-order.
However, all of these titles are available on Amazon through streaming, which is cheaper than buying a Blu-ray. At the end of the day, this may only amount to a minor annoyance for non-Prime members but it might signal that the silent feud between Amazon and Disney is still going strong.
It makes sense for Amazon to try to increase the number of Prime subscribers while at the same time promoting Amazon Video at the same time. Limiting the number of physical copies also hasn't seemed to hurt sales much for the retailer. The Last Jedi is currently No. 3, No. 5, and No. 9 on the Movie and TV best-seller list. This could be another stage of a quiet feud between Amazon and Disney.
A few years ago, Amazon halted pre-orders on some Disney titles following a dispute over the Amazon's cut of the profits. Now, Disney is poised to take a huge chunk of the entertainment market following the deal with Fox, and its upcoming rival streaming platform will serve as a major source of competition for companies like Netflix and Amazon. Disney will also be pulling all of its titles off Netflix in 2019.
It should be noted that DVDs and Blu-rays are available at other retailers such as Target and Best Buy. This is a pretty interesting move from Amazon, so stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated on new information as soon as it becomes available.
