Last fall Lionsgate attempted to spin some of that sweet Twilight fandom that has proved such a cash cow for Summit Entertainment in a new direction by casting the franchise's besotted werewolf boy, Taylor Lautner, in a movie of his own. Unfortunately for Lautner, the action-thriller Abduction only proved how few filmic attributes he has beyond his pretty face. The flick flopped domestically and was universally reviled by critics. So how will Lionsgate attempt to turn this financial dud around for its home video release? Why by making it rentals available on DVD, Blu-ray, digital download and Facebook simultaneously.

Facebook first dabbled in movie rentals last March when The Dark Knight was made available through the social networking site, and since then several other titles have followed suit. Facebook's video distribution platform offers studios a unique opportunity to get in direct contact with their customers, as well as the advantage of spreading promotion through the site's fast-spreading information network that announces nearly every web-based interaction of its users. Facebook also allows studios to easily and quickly monitor the success of a given market strategy and adjust accordingly. Simply put, we're likely to see more and more movies attempting this emerging distribution method.

Deadline reports it will cost $3.99 to rent Abduction through Facebook, and the virtual rental will last 48 hours. As Facebook charges distributors a 30% fee for Facebook Credit transactions, Lionsgate has opted out of that form of payment, so only credit card and PayPal are accepted. The Facebook rental of Abduction also boasts special features that include a Lautner interview and "key scenes with quote pop-ups for users to comment on and share."

Abduction is available for rental on all platforms today.