Here's All The Major Films That Could Be Affected By Universal's Fall-Out With Theatres

It seems the spread of Covid-19 could have an even greater impact on the film industry than originally predicted. After restrictions introduced to combat the spread of the virus forced the temporary closure of movie theatres, Universal Pictures allowed some films, including The Hunt, The Invisible Man, and Trolls: World Tour an early release to pay-per-view Video On Demand services.

While The Hunt and Invisible Man enjoyed brief theatrical runs, Trolls: World Tour only saw a limited release, mostly internationally, before Theatres shut down. Impressed by World Tour's VOD earnings, NBC Universal's CEO Jeff Shell announced plans to release movies both to theatres and VOD when the Cinemas re-open.

This could result in a blow to the profits of the the theatre industry, whom will already be struggling to recoup months of lost revenue. So, in response to Shell's plans, displeased U.S based Theatre chains AMC and Regal Cinemas have announced that they will no longer screen Universal's films in their cinemas.

If the theatres make good on their threat, a number of big-name films could be affected.

1. 'No Time To Die'

The latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, was one of the first films to fall victim to the Covid-19 crisis. Originally scheduled for release in April 2020, the release date was pushed back to November 25 due to concerns regarding the spread of the virus.

While MGM produces the Bond films, Universal handles International distribution. This could affect No Time To Die's chances of a wide release in Europe, where AMC owns a significant number of theatres. Confirmed as Daniel Craig's last appearance as Bond, it would be a shame for European fans to miss out on seeing the film on the big screen.

2. 'Fast 9'

F9 or Fast 9, the ninth film in the Fast & Furious Franchise, has also seen a big delay due to the Coronavirus. Scheduled to hit theatres in May 22, 2020, the movie has now been bumped to April 2, 2021, a date that was originally reserved for the tenth Fast film.

The Fast & Furious films have a large fan base, so it would be a blow to them if they lost the chance to see Dom Toretto and Co on the big screen. The fallout could also affect the wider F&F franchise, such as the planned sequel to Hobbs & Shaw, or a potential spin-off starring the women of the franchise.

3. Minions 2: The Rise Of Gru

Minions, a spin-off from the Despicable Me franchise, proved a hit upon it's release in 2015. While the original film focused mostly on the Minions themselves, the sequel will give a backstory for Gru, the main character of the Despicable Me trilogy. Originally set for release this year, it will now hit screens in 2021.

Rise Of Gru's young target audience will clamour to see it whether it makes it to theatres or not, so, much like Trolls: World Tour, it may see success with a pay-per-view VOD release. However, if the bad blood between Universal and Theatre chains continues, it may prevent the theatrical release of other upcoming co-productions between Universal and animation studio Illumination Entertainment, such as Sing 2 and a planned Mario film. While Sing 2 could earn a decent profit through VOD, Mario would definitely benefit from a run in theatres, banking on the nostalgia of classic Nintendo fans.

4. 'Halloween Kills' / 'Halloween Ends'

Following on from the events of the 2018 Halloween film, Halloween Kills is still hanging on for it's original release date of October 16, 2020. A third and possibly final film, Halloween Ends, is scheduled for October 15, 2021.

Horror fans would mourn the loss of Michael Myers on the big screen if the current situation is not resolved. Other Universal/Blumhouse collaborations, such as The Forever Purge, intended to be the final film in The Purge series, could also be affected.

5. Jurassic World: Dominion

Jurassic World: Dominion, the third and final film in the Jurassic World trilogy, and sixth film in the Jurassic Park franchise overall. The film will deal with the aftermath of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom's ending, in which dinosaurs escaped into the civilised world. The film will also feature the return of Sam Neill as Alan Grant, and Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler.

While the Jurassic World films have been criticised as being a little thin on plot, it would be a tragedy for the final chapter of an iconic franchise to miss out on a theatrical release.

6. Multiple DreamWorks animated features

Aside from co-producing many of Illumination Entertainment's animated features, Universal handles the theatrical distribution of films produced by DreamWorks Animation. So, the disagreement between Theatre Chains and Universal could prevent the upcoming sequels to The Croods and The Boss Baby from making it to the big screen.

While it is possible that these films could find success on pay-per-view, losing both DreamWorks and Illumination from theatres would be a shame, handing Disney and Pixar a monopoly on big-screen animation.

7. Any Future 'Lego' Movies

In April 2020, Universal closed a deal to develop and distribute any future Lego films. While it will likely be some time until Universal releases a Lego film purely of their own making, the release of the highly-anticipated sequel to The Lego Batman Movie could run into trouble.

Hopefully, Universal will make peace with AMC and Regal Cinemas when they are ready to re-open. The theatrical experience is special and irreplaceable, and no fan of the above franchises should have to miss out.