Digital Chart: Trolls on Top in Record Debut
April 13, 2020
Trolls: World Tour got off to a start that is sure to make movie studios happy, even if it will make theater owners very nervous. The film is playing in some drive-in theaters, which can remain open during the Covid-19 outbreak, but it is the film’s digital delivery numbers that are exciting, as Universal touted the film’s digital opening was approximately ten times the previous record for the studio. Granted, we knew the film would be a hit compared to other digital releases, because this is the first time a major theatrical release basically skipped theaters, but this still topped expectations, according to the studio.
This may be enough for studios to begin work to release more films direct-to-digital, at least while theaters are closed. It might even be enough for some studios to experiment with direct-to-digital releases with theatrical-level budgets even after Covid-19 subsides and theaters start to open again. I don’t know what this means for the future of the theatrical box office, but it is interesting, to put it mildly.
Universal comments, “We will wait for a clearer picture of results that will emerge in the coming weeks before sharing additional statistics.”
Filed under: Video Sales, Trolls: World Tour