The legal battle escalates years of disagreement between Disney and privately held Redbox, which has 1,400 employees and operates 41,000 kiosks, according to legal filings. When Redbox launched in 2002, studios feared the cheap rentals would undercut an an already shrinking home video market. The company, based in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., charges $1.50 a day for physical DVDs, much cheaper than most competitors.

Tensions again flared in 2012 when Disney said it would not provide rental partners, including Redbox, with discs of its movie “John Carter” until 28 days after the DVDs went on sale. Redbox responded by stocking its kiosks with discs purchased from big-box retailers.

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