The media conglomerate says some of its slate will be available on-demand the same day they bow in still-open theaters. This includes the upcoming family tentpole Trolls World Tour from DreamWorks Animation, which is set to bow April 10. However, other Universal films currently in wide release—such as Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man and The Hunt, and Focus Features’ Emma—will also start appearing on VOD services, possibly as soon as Friday, March 20. No specifics are available yet, but these films will likely retail at $19.99 for a 48-hour rental period. If accurate, this will be more money for a shorter timespan when compared to typical VOD rentals, which tend to be anywhere from $1-10 for 30 days. The trade-off here, of course, is convenient access to Hollywood’s latest and greatest during the turbulence of COVID-19.

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Company’s word

“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,” the company said in a press release. NBCUniversal’s CEO, Jeff Shell, echoed the sentiment.

Harbinger of change?

This won’t, however, be a blanket policy for NBCUniversal from here on out. According to The Hollywood Reporter this is a temporary situation that will adjust accordingly as the pandemic continues to unfold. This is even evident in the company’s postponement of F9 from its original May 22 date to April 2, 2021, as well as No Time To Die’s delay until November 25 (Universal is the film’s international distributor). THR’s Pamela McClintock suggests that this will serve as a test of the film industry’s relationship with cinema owners. Distributors have long pushed for smaller theatrical windows but many exhibitors are adamant about not shrinking it any further. However, depending on how long the coronavirus pandemic lasts, this could lead to a gigantic shake-up in the cinematic landscape. But this decision also functions as a sobering perspective: health always takes precedence over movies. Take care of yourselves before you meander to the multiplex. Movies will always be there, in one form or another. Leave your thoughts on NBCUniversal’s removal of the theatrical window (via THR) and this article below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more movie news can visit our Movie News Page, our Movie News Twitter Page, our Movie News Facebook Page, and our Movie News Pinterest Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flipboard.

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