A dispute between Marvel parent Disney and some major theater chains has put pre-sales of tickets for Iron Man 3 at those venues on hold, as the theater owners jockey for position in a tough negotiation that will impact their deals not only on Iron Man 3, but on future Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars films, according to Deadline.  AMC and Regal are among the chains holding out.  Some chains have taken tickets off sale, and others have never put them on sale.

It’s not unusual for studios to renegotiate terms on the eve of a major release, according to the report, but the stakes are high, with Iron Man 3 otherwise projected to have a blockbuster opening weekend, and filling the seats that first weekend key  to the over-all performance of the film.