Theater Owners Slam Trolls World Tour for Skipping Theatrical Release

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a pretty prominent impact on the entertainment industry, with countless films and TV shows having to adjust their production or release schedules. Trolls World Tour subverted that in a pretty unexpected way, by forgoing a theatrical release entirely and being released on Video on Demand earlier this month. Reports have indicated that the move was successful for Universal, with the film being the studio's highest-grossing digital release yet. That being said, it doesn't sound like the move was completely embraced across the board. The National Association of Theatre Owners released a statement on Tuesday, arguing that the decision made with Trolls World Tour makes sense, but shouldn't be seen as the "new normal".

"This performance is indicative of hundreds of millions of people isolated in their homes seeking entertainment, not a shift in consumer movie viewing preferences," the statement reads. "It is not surprising that people under shelter-in-home ordinances for weeks on end with increasingly limited entertainment options would take advantage of the movie's direct-to-VOD move to keep children entertained, even at a premium price."

"Universal heavily marketed the title as a theatrical release, in theaters and elsewhere, for weeks on end. That is unlikely to recur in normal times, and those costs haven't been disclosed. While Universal may be pleased with the PVOD results of Trolls World Tour, this outcome should not be interpreted as a sign of a 'new normal' for Hollywood."

"Universal does not have reason to use unusual circumstances in an unprecedented environment as a springboard to bypass true theatrical releases," NATO president and CEO John Fithian added. "Theaters provide a beloved immersive, shared experience that cannot be replicated – an experience that many of the VOD viewers of this film would have participated in had the world not been sequestered at home, desperate for something new to watch with their families. We are confident that when theaters reopen, studios will continue to benefit from the global theatrical box office, followed by traditional home release."

With the timeline surrounding the coronavirus pandemic still being somewhat unclear, a handful of other titles that were set to be released in the coming months have begun to head to VOD or streaming services. Scoob! is set to be released on VOD next month, with My Spy going to Amazon, The Lovebirds going to Netflix, and Artemis Fowl going to Disney+. That being said, it remains to be seen if studios will continue to do the same in the months to come.

What do you think of NATO's response to Trolls World Tour's release strategy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!