The release of Trolls World Tour on demand may have ignited a historic debate over the exclusive window of time before the home release of movies that theaters currently still enjoy. Even so, Universal may not see a profit from the Trolls sequel.
NBCUniversal reported that the film garnered almost $100 million domestically from its initial on-demand release, but because studios are not required to publicize on-demand numbers, unlike box office profits and losses, it is unclear exactly what profits Universal may claim from Trolls 2. This comes on top of reports that the film's voice talent, which includes Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Rachel Bloom and Ron Funches, have not yet been paid, nor were they told that the film would be made available to rent instead of given a traditional theatrical release.
Trolls 2 was initially released directly to VOD platforms and made available to rent for $19.99. In June, Trolls 2 will be made available on DVD and to rent digitally for around $5.99, as would be the case with any other film release.
What Troll 2's financial success or lack thereof might mean for the future of the traditional system of exclusive theatrical releases is still unknown. Warner Bros. and Disney have been experimenting with releasing studio films directly to Netflix or to their own streaming services, including Artemis Fowl, Lovebirds, Scoob! and The King of Staten Island.
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell's comments about releasing movies simultaneously directly to VOD and theaters provoked the theater chain AMC into threatening to boycott all Universal releases. At the same time, blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame remain hugely profitable in theaters. In the future, lower-budget movies may see immediate VOD releases while blockbusters will continue to be distributed to theaters first.
(via Hollywood Reporter)