Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures is foregoing a traditional theatre release to experiment with online film release for its new film, “Jackass 2.5.”

The new film will be available only on Blockbuster's Web site, allowing viewers to watch the free streaming video, and make it available to buy on DVD beginning Dec. 26.

Film studios are exploring new media as the box office and other traditional outlets have offered dismal revenue, The Wall Street Journal, via MediaInfoCenter.org, reported Thursday. Box office sales are down seven percent so far for the holiday season, while DVD sales are down for the year, and down one percent so far in the fourth quarter.

Should Paramount's experiment with releasing “Jackass 2.5” online bring in revenue, it could offer a new way for studios to market films aimed at younger audiences. The original “Jackass” brought in $64 million at the box office in the United States in 2002, while Blockbuster paid a guarantee of about $2 million for the rights to the current release, according to The Wall Street Journal. More than 70 percent of advertising revenue around the online release will go to Paramount.