It might just seem like a garish kids’ film, but this animated sequel could point the way forward for cinema post Covid-19
Few people had Trolls World Tour near the top of their list of Important Movies of 2020, but so it has come to pass. If it wasn’t for that meddling coronavirus, we would all be gearing up for the new Bond movie right now; instead, we have a sequel to a painfully bright 2016 kids’ animation. But Trolls World Tour really matters. For starters, it is the first
Hollywood movie intended for cinema release that is instead going straight to streaming. So it’s a test case. Will housebound punters be prepared to stump up £16 ($20) to watch a new release online?
If Trolls World Tour goes down badly, it is a signal to Hollywood that there’s very little money to be made from new releases until the pandemic is over. If it is a success, it could be even worse. The studio system depends on box-office receipts generated during the “theatrical window”: the period when new movies are only available at cinemas. If people become used to getting new releases direct to their homes, they might never go back. Once broken, the theatrical window might never get fixed.