Sony Electronics and Sony Pictures have teamed up to make animated box office hit “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” available to rent exclusively by owners of Sony networked Bravia HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players as a streaming title for four weeks prior to the general DVD retail release.
Networked Bravia HDTV or Blu-ray Disc player owners who have devices registered between Nov. 9 and Jan. 4, 2010, will receive a free 24-hour rental of the HD version of the movie (a $24.95 value), which can be streamlined over an active broadband connection.
From Dec. 8 through Jan. 4, 2010, the movie will be offered for rent at a cost of $24.95 on all current networked Bravia HDTVs, including the W5100, Z5100, XBR9 and XBR10 series as well as the new networked Blu-ray player model BDP-N460, Sony said.
Also, customers with previously purchased Bravia HDTVs and Blu-ray players or earlier Bravia models equipped with the Bravia Internet Video Link modules can rent the movie during this exclusive time period, Sony said.
Televisions and Blu-ray Disc players must have a broadband Internet connection to receive the movie.
“Given our breadth of content and strength in networked products, Sony is the first company to utilize its internet enabled TVs and other networked devices to stream feature films directly to consumers’ televisions prior to availability on DVD or Blu-ray,” stated Hiro Kawano, Sony Electronics home division senior VP. “We hope that consumers who own networked Sony Bravia and Blu-ray Disc players take the opportunity to bring family and friends together during the holiday season to enjoy this warmhearted movie.”
The initiative will be supported by a special broadcast advertisement featuring “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” animated characters Sam (Anna Farris) and Flint (Bill Hader). The ad began running Nov. 9.
The movie is a family film that focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain. It will be available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc at retail beginning Jan. 5, 2010.
