The leading US movie theater chain said Tuesday it will no longer play any Universal Pictures movies on its screens as a row over the record-breaking release of Trolls World Tour on streaming platforms sharply escalated.
The children's film sequel from Universal Pictures—one of Hollywood's largest and oldest studios—was released directly to on-demand platforms last month after its theatrical release was hit by the coronavirus.
At the time the studio indicated the move was an exceptional response to the pandemic.
But a report Tuesday quoted a Universal boss saying the studio's movies would now be released "on both formats" even once theaters reopen, due to the film's record $95 million streaming haul.
AMC, the largest theater chain with 8,000 screens across North America, responded with a letter to Universal stating that "effectively immediately AMC will no longer play any Universal movies in any of our theaters in the United States, Europe or the Middle East."
‘‘AMC believes that with this proposed action to go to the home and theaters simultaneously, Universal is breaking the business model and dealings between our two companies,’’ CEO Adam Aron added in the letter carried by US media.
Before the pandemic, studios typically waited 90 days to release films digitally after their theatrical opening.