'Trolls World Tour' scores biggest digital debut ever, says Universal

Universal claims that Trolls World Tour, the first major title ($100m budget) to bypass the traditional theatrical window, is the biggest digital debut ever, according to Variety and Deadline.

Tops all major VOD platforms
Trolls World Tour has generated 10 times more digital revenue than Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in its launch weekend, according to Universal. It is also believed that the new animation movie will far exceed Avengers: Endgame.

- "Trolls World Tour did 10 times that of Universal’s previous opening-day digital champ, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which according to home entertainment sources did around $2 million-3 million stateside on day one. Avengers: Endgame, per sources, had a first digital domestic rental week of $30 million in flash reports, and the extrapolation off first-day numbers is that Trolls World Tour will far exceed the figure amassed by the Russo Brothers-directed sequel," a report from Deadline said.

Figures for digital releases are typically delayed and not reported in the same way as box office figures so Universal will provide more statistics in the coming weeks. It pointed out that Trolls World Tour is the number 1 titles across all major VOD platforms, including Amazon, Apple TV (iTunes), Google Play, FandangoNow, and Vudu where it is available for $20 as a 48-hour rental in up to 4K Dolby Vision and Atmos.

Trolls World Tour was released early in the US, UK, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Korea and some other regions but not globally. Universal added that its other early-release titles, The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Emma have also fared well.


  Trolls World Tour is heavily promoted on Apple TV (iTunes) 
An anomaly or a new normal?
For years the cinema industry has maintained that the traditional 90-day exclusive theatrical window is crucial to the entertainment industry's success. Without it investment in big movies like Trolls World Tour would not be viable, the cinema association argue.

However, the home entertainment segment has seen rapid growth in recent years as subscription streaming has grown in popularity. As a result, far more households now own a Smart TV, streaming box or set-top box with access to VOD services like Apple TV (iTunes) and Vudu.

Most other big-budget movies, including MGM's James Bond: No Time to Die and Disney's Mulan, have been delayed due to the coronavirus situation so Trolls World Tour gives us some insight into how a new, more digital Hollywood would look like. The release seems to suggest that there is a market for 'premium VOD'. An anomaly or a new normal?

- Source: Universal via Deadline and Variety