Iron Man 2 International Release Dates - New Trend?

Check out the international release dates for Iron Man 2 below. What's with international territories getting the love a full week before the US premiere? I've noticed this starting to happen with other movies, too. What's the deal? Anybody know the rationale?

I just think if they're produced and made in the USA, they should release here first or, at minimum, have a simultaneous worldwide release. I know that some regions get both dubbed and subtitled versions, but the US version would have to be completed first, right? So why a full week before we get to see Tony in action?

Hector

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228705/releaseinfo

I think someone said last time it dealt with international copyright law issues and some other country laws view the grand premiere (ie with Iron Man 2's premiere being is this Friday) as the 'release' now instead of the official wide release and it must be released within X days for that country to enforce/acknowledge the copyright. More or less it's Hollywood keeping to tradition with premiere parties but having to adapt to changing intellectual property right laws internationally.

Yeah, I think this is brilliant--helps head off international piracy.

I'd not thought about the international copyright/piracy situation. Makes good sense.

I wondered (in the case of UK/Scotland/Eire) if it was because as this weekend is a May Day Bank Holiday they were banking on bonus takings on the Public Holiday on Monday. However when I thought that I wasn't aware of how many *other* territories it was getting released in this weekend.

Is there anything else big being released stateside this weekend they might be trying to dodge? Any major sporting/social events?

cayman shen said:

Yeah, I think this is brilliant--helps head off international piracy.

Click to expand...

Sure, but i'd imagine that it'd hurt the domestic piracy aspect of things, too.

Most likely this weekend you'll be able to find it in the same places the american contingent gets their Dr Who episodes 2 weeks before they air in the states.

Just takes one guy in guam or where to post it a week before the american release and within a couple days it'll be in tons of spots.

What's worse? International pirates or domestic ones?