The COVID-19 coronavirus outrbreak has sparked a dramatic first for the movie industry: movies are being made available at home the same time they’re available in theaters.
The distinction between a theatrical and a digital release is disappearing as theaters shut down. This could fundamentally changes studios’ leverage in negotiations with theater chains, permanently alter consumer behavior and raise the bar significantly for going out to the movies, CNBC reported.
The closure of major theater chains across the country is driving studios to break what’s known in the industry as the “window” – the three-month period between when a movie hits the big screen, and when it’s offered for video on demand purchase or rental, and then on streaming devices.
According to CNBC, universal was the first studio to take these steps, announcing on Monday that it will make movies available at home on the same day as their global theatrical release, starting with “Trolls World Tour,” which had been scheduled to open April 10 in the U.S.
Three Universal films that had been in theaters before they closed — “The Hunt,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Emma” — will be available for a 48-hour rental starting Friday.
