Passion Play News!

Passion Play, starring Mickey Rourke, Bill Murray and Megan Fox will be available on video-on-demand on May 6, the same day that it debuts in theaters, DISH Network said on Wednesday. Moreover, it won’t bear a premium pricetag. DISH said the movie can be viewed in high definition for $5.99 or $4.99 in standard definition. Released by Image Entertainment the so-called day-and-date release would ordinarily have been greeted with anger by theater owners, who are waging a resolute battle against such early releases on video-on-demand. Except that it’s difficult to determine where it will be playing. Online ticket sellers Fandango has no theaters listed for the movie, and indeed Entertainment Weekly reported last month that the movie will be going straight to DVD on May 31 after receiving mostly negative reviews when it debuted last September at the Toronto Film Festival. Los Angeles Times writer Mark Olsen noted at the time that the movie was received by the audience “as something of a spectacular folly.”

I’m definitely going to be ordering it in HD video-on-demand!