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The coronavirus pandemic has taken a major toll on Hollywood’s box office, as social distancing and shelter-in-place orders across the U.S. have led to release date delays, production shutdowns, theater closures, and, as a result, record-low movie ticket sales with no end in sight.
In response to the crisis and theatrical closings, several film studios have been taking proactive measures to ensure their newest movie releases are still seen by as many people as possible. The latest example is Universal/Dreamworks’ Trolls World Tour, which bypassed theaters altogether for an on-demand premiere on Friday, April 10 and became the studio’s biggest debut for a digital release.
Here’s a rundown of movies that are hitting on-demand services ahead of schedule, along with links to options for how to watch each title online and where to get DVDs and Blu-Rays, if you prefer to have a physical copy.
(Disclosure: Links to retailers may earn money to support our work.)
Coronavirus Update: Every TV Show, Movie, Sports, and Major Event Canceled Due to COVID-19
The final installment in the decades-long sci-fi saga arrived on home video platforms several days early, on March 13. It’s available to watch on on-demand services including Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, FandangoNow, and iTunes, starting at $20 for digital HD.
Digital HD ($20)
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Digital 4K UHD ($25)
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Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
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Find at Best Buy
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4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
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Retailer Exclusive Editions
Walmart Exclusive Limited Edition ($35)
Target Limited Edition With Filmmaker Gallery Book ($35)
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
Disney Multi-Screen Edition With Lithograph Set ($30)
Best Buy Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K UHD Box Set ($250)
Emma
NBCUniversal decided to release its slate of in-theater and upcoming films to on-demand services at the same time that they were available in still-open theaters, beginning Friday, March 20. That decision meant that this celebrated Jane Austen adaptation, directed by Autumn de Wilde and starring Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role, became available to stream on March 20.
Digital HD ($20)
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Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25-$30)
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The Hunt
Also available starting on March 20 is this controversial horror-thriller, starring Betty Gilpin and Hilary Swank, about a group of rich people hunting down people they deem to be “deplorables” for sport.
Digital HD ($20)
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Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25-$30)
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The Invisible Man
Leigh Whannell‘s critically revered thriller, which stars Elisabeth Moss as a woman who’s being harassed by her invisible, abusive ex, also became available to watch as of March 20.
Digital HD ($20)
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Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
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4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
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Find at Best Buy
Onward
Disney announced that the latest Disney-Pixar film Onward would be available to buy digitally and on Movies Anywhere starting on March 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT for $19.99. The film was also added to Disney+ much earlier than expected, on Friday, April 3.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at Google Play
Find at FandangoNow
Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
Retailer Exclusive Editions
Target Exclusive Edition ($35)
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
Dosed, Human Capital, Tape
It’s not just blockbusters being affected by the theatrical shutdown. A number of indie films altered their release plans as well. The addiction documentary Dosed, which was scheduled to be released March 20, was instead released digitally, with 10 percent from every purchase of the film going to coronavirus disaster relief, matched by Facebook, according to Deadline. Once theaters reopen, distributors Mangurama/Abramorama will remove the film from streaming and resume theatrical release.
Other indies which hit digital platforms and VOD early include Liev Schreiber-led family drama Human Capital, which was available as of March 20, and the revenge drama Tape, which will did a novel theatrical-style digital release starting March 26, via digital conferencing app Crowdcast.
Dosed
Digital HD ($17)
Find at Vimeo
Human Capital
Digital HD ($10)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at Google Play
Birds of Prey
Warner Bros. announced its Harley Quinn spin-off Birds of Prey would be released on home video earlier than expected. Although the Margot Robbie-starring blockbuster was still screening in the theaters that remained open, it became available to purchase for $20 via video-on-demand platforms, including Amazon and iTunes, on March 24. It is also available to rent on sites like Amazon Prime Video.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at Google Play
Find at FandangoNow
Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
Retailer Exclusive Editions
Target Exclusive Edition ($25)
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
Bloodshot
Sony’s Vin Diesel-starring comic book movie Bloodshot, which is still screening in theaters that remain open, arrived on home video platforms months early, on March 24.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
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Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
Retailer Exclusive Editions
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
The Way Back
The Ben Affleck-starring sports drama The Way Back — about an alcoholic former high school basketball star who is recruited to coach his alma mater’s struggling team — is getting an early home video release. Warner Bros. made the movie available to purchase for $20 on on-demand platforms on March 24.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
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Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
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I Still Believe
Lionsgate’s faith-based drama starring Britt Robertson and KJ Apa, which just opened in theaters on March 13, arrived on premium VOD platforms on March 27.
Digital HD ($20)
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Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
Find at Target
Bad Boys for Life
Some movie franchises really do get better with age. Combining nostalgia with a good old fashioned buddy-cop formula, Bad Boys for Life stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as they reprise two of their most beloved roles. The action flick arrived on digital March 31 and will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 21.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
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Find at Google Play
Find at FandangoNow
Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($25)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
Retailer Exclusive Editions
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
Sonic the Hedgehog
The family film inspired by the popular video game and starring James Marsden and Jim Carrey, with Ben Schwartz voicing the iconic hedgehog, hit digital on March 31, just six weeks after its theatrical release. Sonic will be available in Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD on May 19.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at Google Play
Find at FandangoNow
Find at iTunes
Digital 4K UHD ($25)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
Find at FandangoNow
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital ($23-$28)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital ($30)
Find at Walmart
Find at Best Buy
Find at Target
Retailer Exclusive Editions
Best Buy Steelbook Edition ($35)
Impractical Jokers: The Movie
Prank lovers get to laugh a bit early as Impractical Jokers: The Movie got a digital release on April Fool’s Day. The funny flick is truTV’s first feature-length film and is coming to fans’ living rooms five weeks after its initial theatrical premiere. Chris Henchy directed the the movie, which is inspired by the TV show of the same name, is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
Trolls: World Tour
This animated film, a sequel to the 2016 family film Trolls, will reach on-demand services on Friday, April 10, the same day that the film was scheduled to arrive in theaters before the coronavirus pandemic. In lieu of a physical premiere event, Trolls World Tour was ushered in with a watch party on the film’s official Twitter account and a virtual movie premiere hosted by Walmart on Friday, April 10.
Digital HD ($20)
Find at Prime Video
Find at Vudu
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Find at FandangoNow
Find at iTunes
The Lovebirds
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount’s The Lovebirds, starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, is heading to Netflix. It was originally supposed to debut in theaters on April 3, but Paramount pulled it due to COVID-19 shutdowns. We don’t yet know when it will drop on Netflix, but at least we won’t have to wait for movie theaters to reopen to watch it!
Artemis Fowl
Per Deadline, Disney will release Artemis Fowl, the long-awaited adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s fantasy series about 12 year-old criminal mastermind, exclusively on Disney+. The film was originally slated for theatrical release on Memorial Day weekend, but Disney hasn’t confirmed that the digital debut will be the same date.