Films commonly run in theaters for 90 days before they are available to watch on home entertainment through video-on-demand. Other companies are being tight-lipped about whether they are following Aron's lead, arguing that conversations between the two parties should remain private.įor decades, studios and exhibitors have debated the utility and length of theatrical windows, industry speak for the amount of time a movie plays exclusively in cinemas. "As soon as theaters reopen, we expect to release movies on both formats," Shell told the Wall Street Journal. But the knives didn’t come out until NBCUniversal’s CEO Jeff Shell suggested on Tuesday that Universal might start to simultaneously release some movies in theaters and on-demand, even after the pandemic subsides.
Exhibitors’ eyebrows were raised, particularly as Universal made its announcement before the shutdown went into effect, but they ultimately accepted it given circumstances and a general understanding that studios would otherwise wait until multiplexes reopen to showcase their most anticipated films. The seeming declaration of war was triggered after Universal took a victory lap in the press, touting better-than-expected success for “Trolls World Tour.” The studio decided last month to move its animated sequel to “Trolls” directly on premium video-on-demand - and in a handful of drive-ins across the country - when it became clear cinemas would have to close amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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