Trolls 2

[Nick]

Fascinating to see the gamble playing off, as it makes me really think of the future, in a way.

I still think this is a COVID fluke. People aren't going to be home all-day once we get back to normal. For a movie like this, i'm fine if this type of movie moves to home video though.

I know it can be expensive, but there's just something about being there with an audience for a big release. I can bet you almost all of us on here have done a big Marvel, Star Wars, Potter, DC, Jurassic, etc opening weekend at some point in our life and probably fairly recently when you think about Endgame last year. Being there and reacting along with the crowd is a huge part of the experience. I know right now it's not going to be the easiest to readjust to being around that many people and it will be a slow process, but I would hate to lose movie theaters.

To put things into perspective, this film has only made a little over $100M and it's the highest grossing VOD of all-time. Again, this is fine for this type of film and maybe this will clear up some space on the release calender for movies people don't care to see in theaters but would rather watch at home. But $100M is chump change for a big blockbuster. The BUDGET on Endgame for example was around $350M and supposedly a $200M marketing budget. There's no way a film that had $550M spent on it could ever get made again if we go to VOD only and lose theaters along the way.

I'll be interested to see if SCOOB does similarly well.

If nothing else, it might mean the future of kids movies is at home.

That could put Pixar/WDAS in a pickle if people start expecting kids movies at home because both studios tend to put out films that make over a Billion dollars, which won't happen at home. People then in turn though may be a bit more reluctant to pay theater prices to pay for things like Soul or Raya. This will be interesting to see play out.

 

[JungleSkip]

That could put Pixar/WDAS in a pickle if people start expecting kids movies at home because both studios tend to put out films that make over a Billion dollars, which won't happen at home. People then in turn though may be a bit more reluctant to pay theater prices to pay for things like Soul or Raya. This will be interesting to see play out.

But, at the same time, studios keep way less money from theater tickets. Even if it made 500-600million over a few weeks/months on VOD, it would probably equal what it would in theaters.

I personally see both avenues being how things are released. *Maybe* theaters get a weekend or two head start before things show up on VOD. But considering how long it might take for theaters to really be able to pack people in, I jut don't see studios not releasing things on demand as well

 

[Jamesh22]

This is definitely a unique time and I also share the view that it's because of the current captive audience that this has done so well.

That said, let's not forget the home movie sales once it's available to keep, plus future cable deals and any merchandise sales which I'd expect to be quite healthy for Trolls.

I think family/kids movies with a more conservative budget could do well using VOD going forwards.

 

[quinnmac000]

Btw Universal is stating Publicity and Advertising was only $30 million for this film. Which makes this film way more likely to make a profit and not be a loss for the studio

 

[Nick]

This is definitely a unique time and I also share the view that it's because of the current captive audience that this has done so well.

That said, let's not forget the home movie sales once it's available to keep, plus future cable deals and any merchandise sales which I'd expect to be quite healthy for Trolls.

I think family/kids movies with a more conservative budget could do well using VOD going forwards.

Family/kids movies are the perfect movies to bring from theatrical release to VOD at a $19.99 rental. In a theater, a family of 4 is spending $50+ just to see the same movie and potentially have to deal with crying kids in the theater, etc. So to be able to see the same movie at home for $30 less is a no brainer for families. I just don't want to lose the blockbuster movie experience in theaters.

 

[Jamesh22]

Family/kids movies are the perfect movies to bring from theatrical release to VOD at a $19.99 rental. In a theater, a family of 4 is spending $50+ just to see the same movie and potentially have to deal with crying kids in the theater, etc. So to be able to see the same movie as a family for $30 less is a no brainer for families. I just don't want to lose the blockbuster movie experience in theaters.

I don't think we will. Like you said in a previous post most blockbusters need a global theatrical release or would run into hundreds of millions in losses.

On the plus side, if more family movies end up on VOD it might mean more adult fare makes it's way back into theaters.

 

[Clive]

I'm surprised by the numbers. I'm sure theaters are cursing under their breath.

Part of it is a COVID fluke, to be sure, and as some have pointed out, there wasn't any new entrant competition. At the same time, though, Disney+ exists and put out Frozen II earlier. There was "competition" from other entertainment options, to which many of which families probably already subscribed. So to spend $20 - in a pandemic where many have lost their jobs, no less - for this sequel is fascinating. It arguably helps to validate the "ultra premium rental parallel to theatrical distribution" model that Universal has been pushing since Tower Heist.

Again, if the average ticket price in the US is just over $9, you're talking about a bare minimum of $36 to walk in the door of the multiplex... plus at least $15 (let's be real, more) for concessions. $20 is a bargain, especially since it means you don't have to deal with rude attendees and can pause to handle fussy children.

My guess is theatrically-minded animation may settle into two "tiers." The top tier consists of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and the top offerings of Illumination and Dreamworks (i.e. Despicable Me franchise, Dragons); the "lesser" franchises make up tier two and see some sort of parallel launch across theaters and VOD, assuming theaters humbled by this pandemic will allow it. But it's clear there's real money to be made in a VOD exclusive release (potentially), which ought to give distributors more leverage. I'm also curious to see what some of the smaller animation studios do - Sony would obviously want to release their Spider-Verse sequel into theaters exclusively, but what about Connected, or The Emoji Movie? What about Paramount Animation, who's sticking with a Spongebob theatrical release? We obviously now know WB Animation is willing to buckle...

 

[quinnmac000]

Korea To Re-Open Some Cinemas This Week; ‘Trolls World Tour’ In Exclusive Megabox Engagement, Alongside VOD Release

Korea, the world’s fifth largest box office market, is re-opening a portion of its major cinemas this week after a soft-ish shutdown last month. One of the first new titles in the mix will be Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls World Tour which will play exclusively at the Megabox circuit...

deadline.com

This is going to overperform in Korea. Theatres just opened and this is the first kid movie in months, Koreans love musicals, and its a holiday weekend. Pluse they can still order on VOD here despite being in theaters. Lastly, 5 May is Children's day so expect even more people to rent it on that day.

 

[WaterToWade]

BTW the universal orlando store already has trolls 2 merch including a lanyard, shirts, toys and more:

 

[Nick]

Korea To Re-Open Some Cinemas This Week; ‘Trolls World Tour’ In Exclusive Megabox Engagement, Alongside VOD Release

Korea, the world’s fifth largest box office market, is re-opening a portion of its major cinemas this week after a soft-ish shutdown last month. One of the first new titles in the mix will be Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls World Tour which will play exclusively at the Megabox circuit...

deadline.com

This is going to overperform in Korea. Theatres just opened and this is the first kid movie in months, Koreans love musicals, and its a holiday weekend. Pluse they can still order on VOD here despite being in theaters. Lastly, 5 May is Children's day so expect even more people to rent it on that day.

5 May in the US is usually something like "get drunk and forget about the children's day"

 

[WaterToWade]

WHAT?

 

[TheGentTrent]

WHAT?

It's already being discussed on the Coronavirus-Entertainment Effects thread. Though perhaps all that can be moved here/spun-off into its own thread, mods?

 

[WaterToWade]

Though according to stuff written here this film wasn’t initially expected to do so good if theatrically released, do y’all think it’s success could lead to a trolls 3?

 

[Mad Dog]

Though according to stuff written here this film wasn’t initially expected to do so good if theatrically released, do y’all think it’s success could lead to a trolls 3?

Good question. I say yes, especially since it sells merchandise at a pretty good clip.

 

[Nick]

I think a Trolls 3 will very likely happen. The telling thing will be (and this was posed in the Forbes article below) if it's a theaterical, PVOD or straight-to-Peacock release.

Is ‘Trolls: World Tour’ A Hit? Why That’s A Complicated Question

The circumstances behind 'Trolls: World Tour’s PVOD debut contain so many impossible-to-replicate variables that it has only limited value as a barometer for Hollywood’s post-coronavirus future.

www.forbes.com

 

[quinnmac000]

It has 200 million just in US rentals alone...with Comcast getting 80% it has made back its budget

 

[Nick]

It has 200 million just in US rentals alone...with Comcast getting 80% it has made back its budget

So at $20 a pop (and getting 80%), that means only 1.25M people had to buy it for it to reach $200,000,000M, and honestly probably even less than that number considering Comcast was taking home 100% on purchases through Vudu, Fandango and Xfinity.

That's potentially dire for the theaters, I must say. I've been quite vocally the theater guy, but if movies can sustain this type of on-demand money after COVID, then it is dire. I believe Trolls 2 is potentially in a position to do better than the original Trolls in the long term now, especially since it hasn't released in any Asian countries I don't think. This is still a movie that could theoretically go into theaters overseas or just be on-demand overseas.

It will be very interesting how Scoob does this weekend.

 

[quinnmac000]

So at $20 a pop (and getting 80%), that means only 1.25M people had to buy it for it to reach $200,000,000M, and honestly probably even less than that number considering Comcast was taking home 100% on purchases through Vudu, Fandango and Xfinity.

That's potentially dire for the theaters, I must say. I've been quite vocally the theater guy, but if movies can sustain this type of on-demand money after COVID, then it is dire. I believe Trolls 2 is potentially in a position to do better than the original Trolls in the long term now, especially since it hasn't released in any Asian countries I don't think. This is still a movie that could theoretically go into theaters overseas or just be on-demand overseas.

It will be very interesting how Scoob does this weekend.

scoob should do better because it’s not just pay to rent but also pay to buy for 5 dollars more.

 

[rageofthegods]

scoob should do better because it’s not just pay to rent but also pay to buy for 5 dollars more.

Not necessarily. Uni didn't include the option to buy because they know they can get that money later. Only including an option to rent from the start basically ensures that they'll get all the money from the people who are willing to pay $20 to rent and possibly get a bunch of people to rent it multiple times first, before they double dip by introducing a buy option. WB including an option to buy from the start might cripple their repeat business and later numbers because all the people that might've rented multiple times or even just rent it once and buy it later can just buy it now.

You might see higher initial numbers, but I think Scoob will make less in the long run (also because it's just not a very good movie).

 

[Nick]

Trolls World tour is now streaming on Hulu here in the US. Guess i'll check it out now that it's included with subscription now.