(Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, mayors and governors across the US are banning large gatherings of people, forcing many movie theaters to shut their doors.
In response, Universal Pictures is making some of its newest Hollywood films available online.
Normally, consumers have to wait several months before a film hits the home video market, but with fewer people able buy tickets at the box office, Universal will offer digital versions of its upcoming films the day they arrive in theaters.
“Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters,” Comcast, the studio’s parent company, said Monday.
Comcast plans on taking the approach with the upcoming kids animated film Trolls World Tour, which opens in the US on April 10.
On the same day, consumers will be able to “rent” the film at home for $19.99.
You’ll also be able to rent Universal Pictures movies that have been released to theaters in the last month.
The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Emma will be available on all the major on-demand video platforms starting this Friday, March 20.
Pay $19.99 for 48-hour access.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new approach isn’t a blanket policy for all the company’s movie releases for 2020.
For now, Comcast is only committing to renting out access to the four films mentioned today, the company told Daxdi in an email.
The release of Fast & Furious 9, for example, will just be delayed a year.
Nevertheless, Comcast wants to also avoid pushing back too many movie release dates when it remains unclear when the coronavirus outbreak will be resolved.
“Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception.
Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” NBCUniversal CEO Jason Shell said in today’s announcement.
Other studios are taking a similar approach.
Disney just upped the digital release of Frozen 2, making it available on Disney+ this weekend, several months ahead of scheduled.
To contain the coronavirus, the Trump administration on Monday released new guidelines, urging people to avoid social gatherings involving 10 or more people.
Others, such as the San Francisco city government, are requiring bars, nightclubs, and theaters to shut down until at least until early April.
So we won’t be surprised if other movie studios follow Universal Pictures’ approach, especially as domestic movie ticket sales are plunging.
(Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, mayors and governors across the US are banning large gatherings of people, forcing many movie theaters to shut their doors.
In response, Universal Pictures is making some of its newest Hollywood films available online.
Normally, consumers have to wait several months before a film hits the home video market, but with fewer people able buy tickets at the box office, Universal will offer digital versions of its upcoming films the day they arrive in theaters.
“Given the rapidly evolving and unprecedented changes to consumers’ daily lives during this difficult time, the company felt that now was the right time to provide this option in the home as well as in theaters,” Comcast, the studio’s parent company, said Monday.
Comcast plans on taking the approach with the upcoming kids animated film Trolls World Tour, which opens in the US on April 10.
On the same day, consumers will be able to “rent” the film at home for $19.99.
You’ll also be able to rent Universal Pictures movies that have been released to theaters in the last month.
The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Emma will be available on all the major on-demand video platforms starting this Friday, March 20.
Pay $19.99 for 48-hour access.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new approach isn’t a blanket policy for all the company’s movie releases for 2020.
For now, Comcast is only committing to renting out access to the four films mentioned today, the company told Daxdi in an email.
The release of Fast & Furious 9, for example, will just be delayed a year.
Nevertheless, Comcast wants to also avoid pushing back too many movie release dates when it remains unclear when the coronavirus outbreak will be resolved.
“Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception.
Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” NBCUniversal CEO Jason Shell said in today’s announcement.
Other studios are taking a similar approach.
Disney just upped the digital release of Frozen 2, making it available on Disney+ this weekend, several months ahead of scheduled.
To contain the coronavirus, the Trump administration on Monday released new guidelines, urging people to avoid social gatherings involving 10 or more people.
Others, such as the San Francisco city government, are requiring bars, nightclubs, and theaters to shut down until at least until early April.
So we won’t be surprised if other movie studios follow Universal Pictures’ approach, especially as domestic movie ticket sales are plunging.
