When To Stream’s Weekly Tracking Report
Welcome to When To Stream’s Weekly Tracking Report. Every Friday, we’ll break down the film titles whose first window streaming premieres are still not confirmed. This column will not examine second window SVOD premieres, though we’ll obviously still be tracking and reporting those.
One note: There are hundreds of new films every year, and we’re not able to track or highlight every single one. For now, we concentrate on major studio and indie distributor releases. If there are titles you’d like us to track, let us know in the comments. We’ll do our best to follow up, but might not have the bandwidth to spotlight fully.
Here are the film titles (in order of theatrical release) we are currently tracking:
Theatrical Launch Date: April 14, 2023
Tracking: Anime titles have very long theatrical-exclusive windows, as they are particularly susceptible to pirating. Suzume just received a re-release in theaters on 10/27, so we’re hoping a streaming date will be announced soon.
PVOD Estimate: December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: July 14, 2023
Tracking: The film is set to premiere on PBS’s Frontline on November 21st, 2023, at 10p EST (time may vary by station). It will stream on PBS’s website and be available for purchase on digital platforms next day.
Theatrical Release Date: July 28, 2023
Tracking: Similar to Suzume, another anime title whose theatrical to streaming window will be longer than usual. Tough to call, but we don’t anticipate it’ll hit streaming until early 2024.
PVOD Estimate: February/March 2024
Theatrical Release Date: September 22, 2023
Tracking: A theatrical re-release, so we’re not anticipating it’ll return to streaming until the holidays. The 4K Blu-ray will make a great gift!
PVOD Estimate: December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: September 29, 2023
Tracking: Disney has confirmed 11/14 as the PVOD premiere date.
Theatrical Release Date: October 4, 2023
Tracking: Sony Pictures Classic is one of the last distributors that still regularly adheres to a three-month theatrical exclusive window. IT AIN’T OVER and SHORTCOMINGS were exceptions, but we see no indication that Almodovar’s short film is coming anytime soon.
PVOD Estimate: January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: October 6, 2023
Tracking: Not much of a track record from distributor Rialto Pictures, as they usually focus on 4K restorations of classic cinema. Not yet up for pre-order, we’re in the dark on this one.
PVOD Estimate: December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 13, 2023
Tracking: Another wildcard, as the film does not have a traditional distributor. We can’t imagine it won’t be available in one form or another in time for the holidays. Whether that PVOD or SVOD, we’ll have to wait and see.
PVOD/SVOD Estimate: Late December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 13, 2023
Tracking: We’re moving our estimated PVOD launch date back a bit. The film is doing well at the box-office, and we’re thinking NEON will want to maximize theatrical exclusivity.
PVOD Estimate: Early/Mid December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 13, 2023
Tracking: A National Geographic release that has Oscar aspirations. If it makes the short-list of documentary finalists, look for it on Disney+ during awards season.
PVOD/SVOD Estimate: January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: October 20, 2023
Tracking: Our forecast, for now, still remains the same. Apple TV+ set a 12/15 premiere date for their Mark Wahlberg vehicle THE FAMILY PLAN, so that date is off the board for KOTFM.
SVOD Estimate: December 8, 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 18, 2023
Tracking: Distributor MUBI has been pretty consistent with their theatrical windows, so we expect a similar release pattern to their recent PASSAGES.
PVOD/SVOD Estimate: Mid-December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 20, 2023
Tracking: A Sony Classics title, so it’ll be a while. Unless it surprises with a Shortcomings-style one-month window, we’re thinking early 2024.
PVOD Estimate: January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: October 27, 2023
Tracking: We’re expecting the usual 18-day window after the start of today’s semi-wide release. Expect the usual grumblings (as there was with ASTEROID CITY) when the date is announced. But it’s clearly working for Focus/Universal, or they’d change their strategy.
PVOD Estimate: November 28, 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 27, 2023
Tracking: We’re adjusting our estimate a bit, based on Priscilla’s relative success ($5M opening) at the box-office. Still likely for December, but late rather than early/mid.
PVOD Estimate: Late December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: October 27, 2023
Tracking: It’s an Angel Studios release, so we’re expecting a similar window to their summer blockbuster SOUND OF FREEDOM. With more than $9M in its first week in theaters, this looks like another huge success for the studio.
PVOD Estimate: Late February 2024
Theatrical Release Date: October 27, 2023
Tracking: Like Sony Classics, Kino Lorber usually gives their films plenty of time to expand across the country. Look for this one to hit digital in early 2024.
PVOD Estimate: Mid January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2023
Tracking: This one’s up for pre-sale (with a premium price-point), so we’re confident Bleecker Street will launch on digital sooner rather than later.
PVOD Estimate: November 28, 2023
Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2023
Tracking: This critical acclaimed A24 release is getting fantastic reviews, but will likely struggle to pull an audience. We’re adjusting our estimate to December, as this one looks like it’ll get the slow national roll-out release strategy.
PVOD Estimate: Late December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2023
Tracking: Lionsgate is handling digital distribution for the film, and has announced 11/28 as the launch date.
Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2023
Tracking: This one’s already priced for PVOD in pre-orders, so the theatrical window is likely short. YouTube Movies has listing a release date of January 2, 2024, but we’re holding off on calling that date confirmed. If the pre-order price goes down, we’ll be more convinced they’re holding the digital release back.
PVOD Estimate: November 28, 2023
Theatrical Release Date: November 3, 2023
Tracking: This one is tough to track, as the distributor (Miercoles Entertainment) is new to us. We’re going with a standard 45-day window.
PVOD Estimate: Late December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: Both Antman 3 and Guardians Vol. 3 enjoyed 60-day theatrical exclusive windows earlier in the year. We have no reason to believe Disney will alter their strategy for The Marvels.
PVOD Estimate: Mid January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: We’re using Beau is Afraid and Past Lives as comps for this A24 release. Both of those titles received 60-day exclusive theatrical windows. We think Dream Scenario will get the same.
PVOD Estimate: Mid-January 2024
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: This feels like a perfunctory theatrical release, with the goal of getting it on PVOD in time for the December holiday corridor. Some of Sony’s other 2023 releases have had 18-day windows, so this one could be out as early as November 28th. But we think they’ll wait a week or two later.
PVOD Estimate: Early December 2023
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: An RLJE release, so this one’s bound to hit Shudder before PVOD. The holiday-themed horror movie will certainly hit the service before Christmas.
SVOD Estimate: Mid-December 2023 (Shudder)
ORLANDO, MY POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: Janus keeps their films exclusively in theaters between 3 and 4 months. That means it’s unlikely we’ll see Orlando on PVOD or Criterion Channel until early next year.
PVOD/SVOD Estimate: Late February/Early March 2024 (Criterion Channel)
Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2023
Tracking: A Oscar-hopeful in the Documentary Feature category, A Still Small Voice is being distributed by Abramorama Films, whose digital releases are all over the map. Look for it to get fast-tracked to PVOD if it gets nominated.
PVOD Estimate: Late January 2024
We’ll add new theatrical releases to the tracking report every week!
