Editing Direct-to-video (section)

==Digital releases==
{{Anchor|Direct-to-digital}}
With the increasing prominence of [[digital distribution]] platforms in the 2000s and 2010s, direct-to-digital releases began to emerge alongside, or in lieu of home video. In November 2007, [[Ed Burns]]' ''[[Purple Violets]]'' became the first film to "premiere" exclusively for [[Electronic sell-through|sale]] on [[iTunes Store]], being exclusive to the platform for a month exclusively. It had premiered at the [[Tribeca Film Festival]] in April, where it was reviewed positively, but only received modest distribution offers.<ref name="FCiRUIFS">{{cite web|title=Facing Competition, iTunes Revs Up Its Film Section|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/movies/23appl.html|author=Halbfinger, David M.|date=2007-10-23|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2011-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Graser, Marc|date=2007-10-25|title=Ed Burns offers 'Violets' on iTunes: Feature to skip theatrical release|url=https://variety.com/2007/digital/features/ed-burns-offers-violets-on-itunes-1117974768/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516090750/https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117974768?refCatId=1009|archive-date=May 16, 2012|access-date=2011-08-25|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>  At the time, it was not very common for consumers to make digital movie purchases.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kirsner, Scott|date=2007-11-02|title=Studio's Digital Dilemma: Apple Calling Shots as Biz Tries To Control Market|url=https://variety.com/2007/digital/features/studios-digital-dilemma-1117975284/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111035402/https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975284?refCatId=1009|archive-date=November 11, 2010|access-date=2011-08-26|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

As part of a push by the service towards original content, the [[subscription video on demand]] service [[Netflix]] began to acquire feature films for distribution on its service in the 2010s, including the 2013 documentary ''[[The Square (2013 film)|The Square]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Netflix gets its first Oscars nod with 'The Square'|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/netflix-gets-its-first-oscars-nod-with-the-square/|last=Tibken|first=Shara|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> and its first feature film in 2015 — ''[[Beasts of No Nation (film)|Beasts of No Nation]]''.<ref name="Netflixrelease">{{cite magazine|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=March 2, 2015|title=Netflix Makes Another Bigscreen Splash With 'Beasts of No Nation'|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/netflix-makes-another-bigscreen-splash-with-beasts-of-no-nation-1201444716/|magazine=Variety|access-date=March 3, 2015}}</ref> Netflix pursued a simultaneous release strategy for its films, partnering with a distributor for a [[limited theatrical release]] (in order to maintain eligibility for awards requiring theatrical release, such as the [[Academy Awards]]) simultaneous with their availability to subscribers. As this practice violates the traditional [[release window]]s mandated by the cinema industry, major chains have typically declined to screen the films.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Netflix Dates First Feature Film Slate With Idris Elba, Cary Fukunaga, Adam Sandler, Harvey Weinstein, Paul Reubens & Judd Apatow|url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/netflix-feature-films-paul-reubens-adam-sandler-judd-apatow-idris-elba-pee-wee-herman-1201471559/|last= Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=2015-07-07|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Movie Chains Balk At Netflix's Plan For Simultaneous Release|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/03/07/391458598/movie-chains-balk-at-screening-new-film-while-netflix-debuts-it-online|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref> Since 2018, Netflix has partially backpedaled from this strategy, giving its films a one-month theatrical run before their premiere on the Netflix service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Netflix will release 10 fall films in theaters before they stream|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/27/20835697/netflix-fall-movie-lineup-theatrical-release-steven-soderbergh-laundromat-martin-scorsese-irishman|last=Lee|first=Dami|date=2019-08-27|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2020-03-18}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web|title=Netflix Responds to Steven Spielberg's Push to Bar It From Oscars|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/netflix-steven-spielberg-oscars-1203154092/|last=Lang|first=Brent|date=March 4, 2019|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref>

Unique circumstances have also resulted in direct-to-digital releases, sometimes alongside a limited theatrical release; the 2014 film ''[[The Interview]]'' was released simultaneously on digital and at selected cinemas, after major chains dropped the film due to terrorist threats by a hacking group believed to have ties to [[North Korea]] (whose regime is satirized in the film). The group had also [[Sony Pictures hack|leaked confidential data from the internal servers]] of the film's distributor, [[Sony Pictures]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is Kernel? The Stealth Startup Sony Tapped to Stream 'The Interview' (Exclusive)|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/what-is-kernel-the-stealth-startup-sony-tapped-to-stream-the-interview-exclusive-1201386944/|last=Wallenstein|first=Andrew|date=2014-12-24|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref><ref name="deadline-limitedrelease">{{cite web|title='The Interview' Release Back On For Christmas Day – Update|url=https://deadline.com/2014/12/interview-release-back-on-christmas-sony-attack-1201334389/|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=23 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223224802/https://deadline.com/2014/12/interview-release-back-on-christmas-sony-attack-1201334389/|archive-date=December 23, 2014|access-date=December 23, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] resulted in [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema|worldwide closures of cinemas]] due to economic restrictions and guidance against public gatherings, which prompted direct-to-digital releases for several major films; the Chinese film ''[[Lost in Russia]]'' was acquired by [[ByteDance]] for 630 million yuan (almost 100 million in US dollars) and streamed on its platforms (including [[TikTok]]) for free in lieu of a theatrical release, as part of a larger relationship with the company and the film's distributor Huanxi Media.<ref>{{Cite web|title=China's 'Lost in Russia' Switches to Unprecedented Online Release in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/coronavirus-china-lost-in-russia-online-release-1203478139/|last=Frater|first=Patrick|date=2020-01-24|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> A number of U.S. films were shifted directly to video-on-demand rentals in lieu of a theatrical release,''<ref>{{Cite web|title='Trolls World Tour': Drive-In Theaters Deliver What They Can During COVID-19 Exhibition Shutdown – Easter Weekend 2020 Box Office|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/trolls-world-tour-coronavirus-box-office-vod-easter-weekend-1202907646/|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2020-04-14|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title='Scoob!' To Skip Theaters & Head Into Homes; How Director Tony Cervone Got Animated Pic Across The Finish Line In COVID-19 Climate|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/scoob-home-release-skip-movie-theaters-coronavirus-1202914059/|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=April 21, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Focus Features Sets Digital Release For 'The High Note' Starring Tracee Ellis Ross & Dakota Johnson|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/focus-features-digital-release-the-high-note-tracee-ellis-ross-dakota-johnson-1202925502/|last=N'Dukao|first=Amanda|date=May 4, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref>'' while some have been sold directly to subscription services, including [[Disney+]],<ref>{{Cite web|title='Artemis Fowl' Premiere Date on Disney Plus Set as Movie Goes Direct-to-Streaming|url=https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/artemis-fowl-disney-plus-premiere-date-1234583206/|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=2020-04-17|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> [[Max (streaming service)|Max]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Seth Rogen Comedy 'An American Pickle' Jumps From Sony To HBO Max|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/seth-rogen-an-american-pickle-sells-to-hbo-max-from-sony-1202918806/|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=April 27, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> Netflix,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kumail Nanjiani & Issa Rae Comedy 'The Lovebirds' To Nest At Netflix|url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/the-lovebirds-netflix-debut-coronavirus-paramount-1202842883/|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2020-03-20|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> and [[Amazon Prime Video]].<ref>{{Cite web|title='My Spy': STX Dave Bautista Action Comedy Acquired By Amazon Studios For Streaming|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/my-spy-acquired-by-amazon-studios-stx-dave-bautista-1202903723/|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2020-04-08|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref>