“The theatrical experience continues to be the cornerstone of our business,” Donna Langley, Universal’s chairman, said in a statement. The studio was also ahead of the curve by pushing many of its titles to next year earlier on rather than delaying them to later in 2020. Universal’s announcement earlier this year that many of its new films would be bypassing theaters and heading to on-demand created a rift between the studio and AMC, which banned Universal’s films in response.ĪMC Theatres postpones reopening again as summer blockbusters are delayed

It can also keep films in theaters past the 17-day mark if wants. The window usually ran for about 70 days, but now - at least for Universal - has been cut down to just 17.įor Universal, the studio is given the choice to release films for at home rental and purchases much faster than it has in the past. Theaters and studios have been grappling for years over the “theatrical window” - or how long a film should be available in theaters before being offered on other platforms. (AMC) is a watershed moment for Hollywood. The announcement between Universal and AMC The new multi-year dea applies only to AMC’s US theaters, and it’s unclear whether other studios will enter this new model in the future. That doesn’t mean, however, that “F9” will pop up on NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock on day 18, but rather that consumers can watch it on a platform like iTunes at a premium price or in theaters. That means that when “ F9,” the next film in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, hits theaters on April 2, 2021, consumers will have the choice to either see it in theaters or wait three weeks to buy or rent it at home. After that, Universal and its sister studio, Focus Features, has the option of releasing films on video on demand platforms. Under the agreement, Universal’s new films will have just three weekends - or 17 days - of exclusivity, rather than the customary 70 days. Universal and AMC are mending their frayed relationship in a deal that not only reverses the theater chain’s ban on Universal’s movies but also appears to upend the traditional exclusivity model that studios and theaters have followed for decades.

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