Is Civil War's box office success bad news for streaming?
Since its April 12 debut, Alex Garland's action drama of journalists covering a modern-day American Civil War has earned $25.7M domestically, a record-high opening haul for an A24 film.
But not only has Civil War's success made headlines, it has also shaken up projections for when audiences will be able to watch the Kirsten Dunst-led flick at home.
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Will Civil War's Digital Release Get Delayed?
Due to Civil War's box office earnings, the film's projected digital and streaming release dates have been slightly pushed back as A24 is in no rush to leave theaters for streaming.
According to When To Stream's estimations, the studio is likely to hold off on Civil War's PVOD debut for at least 45 days.
This moves the film's projected digital release to some time in late May or early June 2024.
Even so, Civil War's expected home video release still falls within a reasonable timeline for an A24 film.
For instance, Priscilla, The Zone of Interest, and The Iron Claw roughly averaged 56 days between their theatrical debuts and digital release dates, all three of which may have been extended for awards season.
When Will Civil War Begin Streaming on Max?
Following Civil War's digital home release, the film is slated to drop on Max (formerly HBO Max) due to A24's deal with the streaming platform.
The question, of course, is just when will that happen?
Since Civil War's digital release is expected to be delayed, its streaming debut is likely delayed as well.
Still, the studio's recent record of release dates may provide fans a timeline.
For instance, Sofia Coppola's Priscilla became available for digital purchase 49 days after its theatrical release and then began streaming on Max 70 days later.
Overall, 119 days separated Priscilla's theatrical and streaming premieres.
Meanwhile, The Zone of Interest dropped on Max 45 days after its home video release and 112 days after theatrical, but 53 days separated The Iron Claw from its theatrical debut and digital purchase date.
If A24 greenlights Civil War digital sale in June, the film may begin streaming on Max in August or early September.
However, if Alex Garland's dystopian tale continues to fill theater seats, these projections could continue to shift deeper into fall 2024.
Civil War is playing in theaters now.
Check out other Civil War stories below:
Civil War 2024 Review - A Compelling Movie That Could've Hit Harder
Civil War 2024 Movie's Audience Score Just Broke an Alex Garland Record
Civil War 2024 Director Addresses If the Movie Is 'Programming' Americans for Upcoming War
