Disney has resolved a dispute over release windows with a major U.K. exhibitor that had threatened to impact next weekend’s anticipated release of Tim Burton’s 3D “Alice in Wonderland.”
An agreement carved at the eleventh hour with cinema chain Odeon came Thursday, the same day film stars Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway were set to join the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for the royal world premiere of “Alice” at Odeon’s London Leicester Square.
“Alice in Wonderland” will debut worldwide on March 5.
Disney had been at odds with not only Odeon, but several other major U.K. distributors — Vue and Cinemaworld — over its decision to bump up the DVD release date for “Alice” from 17 weeks after theatrical bow to just 12 weeks.
Neither Disney or the exhibitors are disclosing the details of their respective agreements, but it’s believed that the studio managed to convince the exhibitors that it plans to apply the shortened theatrical release window to only select films going forward.
