With its kiosk network quickly reaching a saturation point in the U.S., and its Redbox Instant streaming venture not exactly setting the world on fire, Redbox clearly needs a big new idea. The company seems to be staking its future on a radical new movie theater concept called “Redbox Cinema.”
Announced this morning, these Redbox-branded cinemas will replace the usual theatrical experience of 12 or 18 giant screens with several hundred small screen theaters, each designed to replicate an intimate home theater setting. See the news release after the jump for full details.
Here’s the complete news release from Redbox.com:
Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. – Outerwall Inc., a leader in automated retail and parent company of Redbox, today announces Redbox Cinema, a new movie theater chain based around the unique Redbox experience.
Redbox Cinema is a completely new concept in theatrical entertainment, and ushers in a new era of value and convenience for movie fans. Every Redbox Cinema location features two hundred 12′ x 12′ mini-theaters, each equipped with a 106″ HD projector, Blu-ray Disc player, and a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital surround sound system. Each mini-theater can seat up to eight people on soft, reclinable seats.
Theater patrons are able to make their movie selections from the “Redbox Office,” a group of Redbox kiosks stocked with Blu-ray Discs featuring Redbox’s usual mix of hot new releases and popular catalog titles. Pricing will be identical to Blu-ray Discs found in regular Redbox kiosks. The Redbox Office kiosks will dispense patrons’ chosen films, along with a key card granting them access to a mini-theater. Patrons can then enjoy their film as if in the comfort and privacy of their own home, free from the distractions that usually accompany the theatrical experience. Attendants will periodically visit each mini-theater selling popcorn, soda, and other delicious snacks.
“Redbox continues to push the envelope and take the home entertainment industry to exciting new places,” says Outerwall CEO J. Scott Di Valerio. “We’re thrilled to offer our customers the big screen theatrical experience on a small screen budget with Redbox Cinema. We know that many people love the immersive feeling of watching a great movie on a huge HD screen, but don’t enjoy the crowds, crying babies, and other nuisances you usually encounter at a theater. Unfortunately, a high-quality home theater setup is out of the price range of many consumers. What could be better than having the best of both worlds with Redbox Cinema? You can even still enjoy real movie theater popcorn at our intimate theaters!”
Redbox Cinema will launch this summer with locations in the Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Boise, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Miami metropolitan areas. Additional locations will open throughout the remainder of 2014. Redbox’s network of more than 40,000 conveniently located movie rental kiosks will continue to operate as normal.
“It’s time for consumers to achieve the next level of comfort and value in their movie theater experience, and Redbox is leading the way,” says Di Valerio. “Redbox Cinema is the perfect way to go out to the movies with your family or friends but still enjoy the cozy comfort of a night in with a Redbox rental.”
Is this new concept crazy enough to be a hit, or just plain crazy? If you live in one of the initial launch cities, do you plan on patronizing a Redbox Cinema? Let us know what you think about this huge Redbox announcement in the comments.
Did you fall for our annual April Fools’ day prank?
Anne Saunders is the dead giveaway. Duh.
Not nearly as good this year as previous April Fools’ editorials. Hopefully, a better one next year.
Now if REDBOX combines this idea with Enterprise Rent-A-Car I can be picked up from my home, dropped off at a mini cinema and watch an awesome film like Battlefield Earth, Lone Ranger or After Earth…some microwave popcorn and I’ll be set…:-)
this would have been much more fun if people who figured it out right away hadn’t posted about it. now the first 2 posts give it away as an April Fool’s joke and ruin it for everyone else. personally I was fooled until i saw the posts that sank it for everyone. :(
otherwise, i thought it was well done and would have been a fun gag.
THEER IS ALREADY A SERVICE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS IN JAPAN FOR SMALL PARTYS , GET TOGETHERS OR KAROKE WITH FRIENDS. YOU CAN RENT THE FULLY EQUIPED SUITE WITH AV EQUIPMENT LARGE SCREEN SUPER HD TV ETC AND ENJOY YOURSELVES IN PRIVATE AND HAVE THE FOOD CATERED IN. TO BAD THE US IS WAY BEHIND AS USUAL.
Even though this is a prank I would love for it to become real. It would have been a fun night out with friends. oh well back to reality.
How about a mobile theater in a luxury bus? Comes to your location and you and some of your friends enjoy large screen and surround sound without wasting your gas? Maybe even exterior screens for that nice summer night drive in experience.
Love it. So excited!
I visited redbox’s facebook page- their prank this year is a mood indicator at the kiosk- for example- it changes colors based on your mood and tells you what type of movie you’ll want. For example- f you touch the kiosk and it turns blue- yoiu are in the mood for an action movie.
That and this idea (which sounds awesome- it IS a good idea!) are very clever, but i wasn’t fooled one bit, lol.
DUH!!!! I fell for it. I was getting ready to text everybody i know. It was a good thing this ding-a-ling read the comments. I’m truely depressed now, it sounded like an awesome idea i was so excited. Woe is me.
I almost fell for it until my daughter said don’t believe anything that is on the internet today. This does sound like a good idea but 200 mini theaters! Come on, you know how expensive that would cost.
Not really, but much appreciated. Thanks!
Ha! ha!.. Fool’s Day……
Good one…..
excellent joke
This is a good one because as another person mentioned, this exists in Asian already and is a big hit. They even included the attendant coming around to prevent people from getting frisky which often happens.
I’m pretty sure this is the April Fools joke, not this article. http://www.redbox.com/aprilfools?om_rid=CFpvDT&cid=EM%3A_BTOqpoB85H$5Rj
Man! I thought this was a really cool idea until I saw the date of the post and the suspicious same prices point as the redbox. I think this would be cool if it was like $3 or something a person for this. ;-)
But is the Redbox Instant streaming really not taking off?
Shane you should have mentioned that Litecoin, Bitcoin and Dogecoin will all be accepted. ;)
With the Redbox streaming in place, why can’t they stream us the same movies that are in the kiosk for the same price? I’m disabled and have a hell of a time getting to the nearest kiosk, let alone make 2 trips to return it the next day. Needless to say, I have multiple charges for many DVDs, even with my credits. It seems like it would cost a lot less to stream a movie than to have to support a kiosk and the manpower to stock them. This could be a real game changer, as everyone else charges $3.99 for a streaming “rental”, which is a huge ripoff.
Maybe my perception is off but I did not think of this as an April Fools joke.
Sounds like a good idea. I personally would be willing to try it. Get to NY state.
Thanks much.