30 Apr – Earlier this month, "Trolls World Tour" made its premiere on digital platforms after an earlier limited theatrical release in several markets, such as Malaysia and Singapore, since movie exhibitors across the globe have started temporary shutdown by then due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. It turned out to be a good move for the animated sequel, as it managed to make more money for Universal Pictures in just three weeks compared to its predecessor, "Trolls", when the latter was released in cinemas back in 2016. However, "Trolls World Tour's" digital release is also rocking the US film industry in a less positive way. Specifically, film exhibitors are unhappy with Universal's move of going online instead of postponing the movie's screening in cinemas to a later date.
Despite that, another major US cinema chain, the Cineworld-owned Regal Cinemas, has today announced that it will be following AMC's move of banning Universal titles. Collider reported that Regal has issued a statement calling the digital release as "completely inappropriate and certainly has nothing to do with good faith business practice, partnership and transparency." "There is no argument that the big screen is the best way to watch a movie. Universal unilaterally chose to break our understanding and did so at the height of the COVID-19 crisis when our business is closed, more than 35,000 employees are at home and when we do not yet have a clear date for the reopening of our cinemas," the statement read. Cineworld CEO Mooky Greidinger was also quoted as saying "Universal was the only studio that tried to take advantage of the current crisis and provide a 'day-and-date' release of a movie that was not yet released." It remains to be seen whether Universal will issue another statement and if other cinema chains will follow suit in banning any titles by the distributor.