Almost every studio has collapsed the home video window on existing 2020 film releases in the past two weeks in order to get them to Digital HD much sooner.
It’s an understandable move with cinemas closed for at least 6-12 weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, and even the head of the exhibition trade association – NATO’s John Fithian – tells THR he understands why they are doing so.
However, there is one that bugs him – Universal Pictures’ “Trolls World Tour”. While all the others have delayed their new films to later in the year, Universal is the only studio who has decided to move ahead with effectively the first premium VOD release of a major blockbuster. Fithian warns that the move is something his group won’t forget, or forgive:
“Only Universal, and only on ‘Trolls,’ did one studio skip the theatrical model and go straight to the home. Universal continues to advertise to consumers that ‘Trolls’ will be released simultaneously to theaters and the home on April 10th. And they are lying to consumers.
Universal knows that theaters will still be closed on April 10, so unlike every other distributor who must simply delay their releases in that time period, but still understand that theatrical release is essential to their business model, Universal on Trolls didn’t make that decision. Exhibitors will not forget this.”
The question is can exhibitors, who could be on the verge of losing cinemas altogether, afford to alienate the studio to take a stance on principle? After all Universal has “F9: The Fast Saga,” “Jurassic World: Dominion,” and “Sing 2” coming next summer, “Halloween Kills” and “The Croods 2” this Fall (and “No Time To Die” internationally) and other films like “The Boss Baby 2” and “Candyman” on the way.
Cinemas will need all the help they can in coming months and the idea of getting back to a ‘business as usual’ stance dwindles the more pandemic crisis is drawn out, so it’ll be interesting to see if Fithian’s comments have any real teeth.
