Trolls’ Online Rental Success Casts a Shadow Over Theater Chains
The film outperformed Universal’s most optimistic projections, giving exhibitors yet another thing to worry about.
An AMC movie theater near Times Square in New York on May 3.
Photographer: Rob Kim/Getty Images
As movie theaters around the world closed in early March to contain the spread of the coronavirus, executives at Universal Pictures scrambled to limit their potential losses.
The studio started by delaying the release of F9, the next installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. While the studio had already spent millions of dollars marketing the film, including a spot during February’s Super Bowl, it wanted to save its biggest movies for a traditional release. But as Universal looked down its slate of coming titles, it saw an opportunity to experiment. Rather than wait for theaters to reopen at an uncertain date, it would release the animated movie Trolls World Tour for people to watch at home—charging $20 for a 48-hour rental.