The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a huge number of changes to theatrical and home entertainment release schedules. Several movies have had their digital releases moved forward dramatically, and the latest title is the action sequel Bad Boys For Life.
The third movie in the Bad Boys series will now hit video-on-demand on March 31, with the 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD release following on April 21. The movie was released at the end of January, and following the standard 90 days window from when movies leave theaters, wouldn’t normally have arrived at home until May at the earliest. However, the coronavirus outbreak means that fans can watch it next week.
Bad Boys For Life, which stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, is the most successful movie released in the US so far this year, with a $204 million domestic gross. Admittedly, there hasn’t been much competition, given the only other big franchise movie, DC’s Birds of Prey, underperformed at the box office. But with virtually every other big movie that was due a spring and early summer release now postponed and millions of people isolating at home, Bad Boys For Life is likely to do extremely well on VOD.
Universal was the first major studio to give some of its current theatrical titles early digital releases. The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Emma all hit video-on-demand last Friday, March 20, while Trolls: World Tour is skipping theaters entirely and arrives on April 10. Birds of Prey has also been given an early digital release, and will be available from March 24.
Movies that have had their theatrical releases postponed include No Time To Die, Black Widow, Mulan, F9, and A Quiet Place: Part 2. In addition, a number of high profile films have had their production suspended, such as The Batman and Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.