‘Trolls World Tour’ Breaks Digital Records and Charts a New Path for Hollywood

In three weeks of digital release, ‘Trolls’ sequel has made more money for Universal Pictures than original did during five months in theaters

The streaming wars might mean you have way more options when it comes to platforms and content for entertainment. But ultimately, paying for all those options is going to look a lot like the high prices you used to pay for your old-school cable package. Photo: Alexandra Cardinale
By
Erich Schwartzel

LOS ANGELES—Last month, as the nation’s movie theaters were days from closing down, executives at Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures moved on a decision that would soon pay off handsomely.

A massive marketing campaign was already under way for the studio’s April 10 release, “Trolls World Tour,” an animated sequel to the 2016 hit. The studio decided not to postpone the opening, instead making the movie available as a digital rental on platforms like Apple Inc.’s Apple TV for $19.99.

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