[The Hollywood Reporter]

UPDATED: Exhibitors aren’t likely to react well to Sony letter saying the studio will stop footing the bill for RealD glasses, which can cost studios $5 million to $10 million per blockbuster release.

…The price tag for 3D glasses is no laughing matter — studios can spend $5 million to $10 million worldwide for a tentpole, but most of the cost is incurred in the North American marketplace (studios pay after the fact, based on how many glasses were actually used). Sony has two high-profile 3D tentpoles headed to theaters next summer — Men in Black III and The Amazing Spider-Man.

…

Several years ago, when digital 3D was first emerging, it was unclear who would pay for the glasses. In an effort to encourage movie theaters to convert their screens to the emerging format, Disney told theaters it would cover the cost.

Soon, other studios started following suit, but top executives say it was never their intention to make it an indefinite policy. And at least one studio, Fox, tried to stop paying for the 3D glasses, but was met with stiff resistance from exhibitors.

Read the full story here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-refusing-pay-3d-glasses-240837