Studios are scrambling to cope with movie theaters closing nationwide due to coronavirus concerns. Warner Bros. has decided on a new tactic: taking the early VOD route. “Birds of Prey,” a spinoff of 2017’s “Suicide Squad,” will be available on March 24.
Users can purchase the film for $19.99 in March and rent in April on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.
Variety first reported the news.
The move is unusual, given that the film was playing in movie theaters. But with multiplexes shuttering across the country, AMC Cinemas, Showcase Cinemas, etc., it’s a prudent move.
“Birds of Prey,” starring Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor and Rosie Perez, was released Feb. 8. It is the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe. Harley Quinn is on the outs with every thug in Gotham. Then she teams up with some tough women, like Huntress, Rene Montoya and Black Canary, to take on the crime boss Black Mask.
Prior to movie closings, the box office earned $177.9 million, a weak return for a blockbuster.
Variety added that “Trolls World Tour” from DreamWorks Animation would also be available on-demand April 10. Other studio films in the theater will get an early VOD release March 20. They include “The Hunt,” “Emma” and “The Invisible Man.” The films will be available for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S.