Universal Pictures to make new movies available at home due to coronavirus

NBCUniversal has announced that Universal Pictures will make its movies available at home on the same day as their global theatrical releases, starting with DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls World Tour” on April 10 in the U.S.

NBCUniversal will also make movies that are currently in their theatrical run available on-demand starting as early as this Friday, March 20.

This comes after many movie theater chains have announced limited seating caps and even full closures due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The Hunt,” “The Invisible Man,” and “Emma,” among others will be available on a wide variety of on-demand services for a 48-hour rental period at the suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. and the price equivalent internationally.

“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,” said Jeff Shell, CEO of NBCUniversal. “We hope and believe that people will still go to the movies in theaters where available, but we understand that for people in different areas of the world that is increasingly becoming less possible.”

Other film studios are considering this as well. On March 16, Warner Bros. announced that “Birds of Prey” will release early on digital starting March 24. For other studios, they have opted to delay their films. Some of these delays include Disney’s “Mulan” and “Black Widow,” MGM’s “No Time to Die,” and Paramount Pictures’ “A Quiet Place Part 2.”

Check out the trailer for the first of NBCUniversal’s at-home theatrical releases, “Trolls World Tour,” below: