Disney's film faces boycott in Europe

Walt Disney has clashed in Europe with several large cinema chains threatening to boycott Alice in Wonderland, a forthcoming release, after Disney said it would bring forward the DVD release of the film.

Disney wants to accelerate the release by a month, from 17 weeks after the theatrical release to 13 weeks. The aim is to bolster DVD sales, which have been in decline , by allowing the studio to take advantage of the cinema marketing for the film. But cinema chains are concerned the early DVD release will eat into ticket sales for Alice in Wonderland, a 3D fantasy directed by Tim Burton.