24, 2011, at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. The film was theatrically released on November 4, 2011, in the United States by Universal Pictures and Relativity Media. Video on demand boycott On October 5, 2011, Universal Pictures announced that Tower Heist would be made available for home viewing via parent company Comcast's video on demand system three weeks after its theatrical debut at the rental cost of $59.99. The move was announced as a test case, to be conducted only in Atlanta and Portland. The move met with criticism from cinema chains over concern that the test and any further future implementation would impact ticket sales. The following day, Cinemark Theatres – the third largest cinema chain in the United States – threatened to not show the film at all if Universal proceeded with the test. On October 11, 2011, several independent theater chains, including Galaxy Theatres, Regency Theatres and Emagine Theatres, and small cinema houses representing approximately 50 screens across the country, also threatened not to play Tower Heist. The following day the chains were joined by 950-screen National Amusements theater chain. In response, Universal Pictures released a statement saying that they would no longer pursue the proposed test. Box office Tower Heist earned $78 million in the United States and Canada, and $74.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $152.9 million. Pre-release audience tracking in the United States indicated that the film had strong awareness among males of all ages, followed by older women. Universal Pictures projected opening takings of $25–30 million during the opening weekend – aiming below expectations due to a slow marketplace – with rival studios claiming that the film would need to make at least $30 million to be a success. In the United States and Canada, Tower Heist opened in 3,367 theaters. The film took $85,000 from midnight screenings and a total of $8.5 million opening Friday, becoming the number one grossing film for the day. Although the film had been expected to be the number one film for the weekend, it took $10.5 million on the opening Saturday, falling behind the animated film Puss in Boots ($15.3 million). Tower Heist became the number two film for the weekend with $24 million, behind Puss in Boots ($34 million), with 70% of the audience being over the age of 25—the largest segment, 27%, being over 50—and 56% male. The