Apple is now selling JJ Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness on the iTunes Movie Store three weeks ahead of its September 10th general release.

The film is available in HD for $20 and SD for $15, or as a $25 HD bundle with the prior Star Trek film. There is no rental option -- rentals will be available September 10th -- and it appears to only be available to U.S. iTunes customers.

J.J. Abrams STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is the best-reviewed blockbuster of the year. When a ruthless mastermind known as Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) declares a one-man war on the Federation, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the daring crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will embark on the greatest manhunt in history. It will take all of their skills and teamwork to defend Earth and eliminate Khan’s threat in this “sleek, thrilling epic.” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)

A number of independent or smaller-budget films have launched day-and-date or even ahead of their theatrical release on iTunes, but the three-week early purchase window ahead of a DVD/Blu-Ray release is part of an effort by the major studios to jumpstart more profitable digital sales. Apple has offered early streaming access to music albums in the past.

Star Trek Into Darkness is available in HD on iTunes for $20. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

ZeRoLiMiT Avatar
125 months ago
Would be better if the lower the price on digital downloads
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zellio Avatar
125 months ago
No thanks, I'd rather have the bluray.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DominikHoffmann Avatar
125 months ago
And, yet, it took months, maybe it was over a year, before How to Train a Dragon appeared on iTunes.

Could It be that the studios are finally catching on to where their customers are, technologically?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redscull Avatar
125 months ago
$20? No thanks.
Ditto. The physical copy, while available later, will cost less and be higher quality. If you want to upcharge for digital, you need to make it available same day as the theatrical release.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSayuSay Avatar
125 months ago
A $150 Million movie for $20 on iTunes 3 weeks before it comes out on obsolete-ray...SOLD.

And 3 weeks later it would be nothing but regret because you could have waited a bit longer and you can get an obsolete ray for cheaper. Might as well get the Digital Copy on iTunes, better uncompressed tracks and great looking video.

And no I don't care if the copy on obsolete ray weighs 30, or 40 GB. I don't download it, it doesnt affect my data cap. Unlike iTunes download. :rolleyes:

----------

Not sure if serious.

And why shouldn't it be?

The bluray copy (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Darkness-Blu-ray-Digital/dp/B00AZMFK3K)would be offered $19.99 and comes as BD, DVD, and Digital Copy (download code for SD version on iTunes, so that's $14.99 for the copy alone).

That's 3 .. yes three copies of the movie! And you don't lose your iTunes cloud convenience because you also get the Digital Copy.

So again, why wouldn't it be serious?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Icaras Avatar
125 months ago
Already purchased and downloaded last night from iTunes :D

I now have all the Star Trek films digitally from iTunes, all except for Star Trek The Motion Picture, which I'm still waiting for iTunes to have in HD.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
top stories 18mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Pricing, New iOS 16.4 Beta, Siri vs. ChatGPT, and More

Saturday March 18, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase? This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

Friday March 17, 2023 2:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the record currently held by the Xiaomi 13. That's according to the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has divulged accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner, curved bezels compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, potentially resulting in an Apple...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Launching This Year With These 11 New Features

Monday March 13, 2023 6:47 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more. Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A17...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...