Spaghetti storm brewing over 'Meatballs'

A spaghetti twister rages in "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs."  (Sony Pictures Animation)

According to a post on the Hollywood Reporter Web site, movie exhibitors (the theater owners and operators) are steaming over "Meatballs."

Not the clever, successful animated film itself, but Sony's apparent decision to release "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" to at least some home viewers on Dec. 8, which is less than three months after the theatrical debut.

"Sony stirred the 'Meatballs' controversy by announcing this week that the $121 million domestic grosser would be made available for early home entertainment viewing by owners of Internet-enabled TV sets and certain Blu-ray Disc players.

"Owners of Sony-branded Bravia TVs and the latest generation of networked Sony Blu-ray players will be able to rent the title almost a month earlier than the Jan. 4 street date for the DVD and Blu-ray discs," Carl DiOrio's Hollywood Reporter piece states.

Dirty movie studio pool, or savvy marketing for the busy holiday film season?

Thoughts?

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