Moviegoers who think they can predict the next box office hit will soon be able to put their hunches to the test on a new stock exchange for the movies. Starting next year, traders on the Cantor Exchange will be able to buy "shares" in a movie, and watch as its stock rises and falls on the strength of its audience figures. Surprise hits like "The Blind Side" could reap big profits for savvy investors. What does that mean for Hollywood? (Watch a report about the Hollywood Stock Exchange)
Good news for movie-makers: The Cantor Exchange could "reshape how movies are made and promoted," says Greg Burns in the Chicago Tribune. Distribution companies could "hedge the risk of pumping marketing dollars into a potential hit" by selling shares on the stock exchange as "protection in case the movie bombs." That's positive news for movie financiers, who "lack risk-management tools specific to the movies."
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