Why International releases first?

[Blair]

Does anyone know why, so often, a movie is paid for in the United States, produced/directed/cast in the United States, and yet several international audiences get to see it days or even weeks before it is brought to theaters (aside from test audiences) in the United States?

[Jimmy]

Because most of the important film festivals are in Europe
Our film often got their première at Cannes or other festival in french speaking markets as the international buyers are at those festivals.

[DJ Doena]

Because most of the important film festivals are in Europe

That sounds reasonable.

Because I can't seem to remember a movie that starts in actual theaters before their US release

[Dragonfire]

I think Prometheus opened at least in England like a week before it opened here.  Rock of Ages possibly...umm...Maybe Men in Black III.  Avengers opened in several countries a week before it opened here. 

[Blair]

An American animated series I enjoy has had high quality vids available online for several weeks now of new episodes even though the episodes are still listed as TBA (meaning it could still be 4-6 months) here. That's ridiculous.

[Jimmy]

The financing play a part in that too. Any production involve international financing so the European or Asian backers are free to release a project when they feel like releasing it.

[Alien Redrum]

The financing play a part in that too. Any production involve international financing so the European or Asian backers are free to release a project when they feel like releasing it.

Huh. Never thought of that angle. Good point.

[Tom]

I think in case of The Avengers it was a calculated move. They wanted to build up some word of mouth before releasing it in the US and have a big opening weekend boxoffice return (which is still some kind of measure how successful a movie is). Seems to have worked out quite well.

[Dragonfire]

I know they still put a lot in the box office..especially opening weekend.  Never mind if there are a lot of releases that week, which does happen sometimes, or a few other movies still doing good.  If a movie doesn't make scads of money the first weekend, it is a flop now.  Most movies are only number 1 for a week now.  I can remember when some movies took a little longer to find an audience, and then went on to be huge hits.  That doesn't happen as often now because theaters are so quick to pull movies.

[Najemikon]

It used to be the case that US would release films months before here. I'm glad it's more balanced now. Still Pixar have a long drift between countries; Brave isn't out for weeks. Ted is another month as well I think.

[Dragonfire]

Ted at least was originally going to be released July 13th here.  They moved the date up because the G.I. Joe movie got delayed until March - reshooting or something.

[Achim]

Ted at least was originally going to be released July 13th here.  They moved the date up because the G.I. Joe movie got delayed until March - reshooting or something.

Apparently they killed of a certain character off early in the film and people hated that during test screenings. They are re-shooting to keep the character in the film

[Dragonfire]

Ted at least was originally going to be released July 13th here.  They moved the date up because the G.I. Joe movie got delayed until March - reshooting or something.

Apparently they killed of a certain character off early in the film and people hated that during test screenings. They are re-shooting to keep the character in the film

Ahh...ok.  All I knew was I had been seeing trailers and then nothing.