Scoob! the new Scooby-Doo film will SKIP theatrical release and head to streaming platforms instead on May 15 when it was supposed to hit cinemas
With the coronavirus pandemic keeping movie theaters throughout the world shuttered, with all signs indicating it might stay this way well into the summer, Hollywood studios have had to get more than creative when figuring out how to move forward with their business.
Warner Bros. announced on Tuesday that Scoob!, its animated entry that was already near completed when the pandemic hit, will forego its previously scheduled theatrical release date of May 15th, instead hitting streaming platforms for on-demand rental or purchase on that same day.
As reported by Deadline, the animated movie featuring the Hanna-Barbera mystery-solving dog and his cohorts, one voiced by Zac Efron, will be available for a 48-hour rental period in the U.S. and Canada for $19.99, or ownership for $5 more.
Watch it from home: Warner Bros. announced on Tuesday that Scoob! will forego its previously scheduled theatrical release date of May 15th, instead hitting streaming platforms
The decision to fast-track the film to on-demand viewing is no doubt influenced by Warner Brothers’ need to recoup losses, as it now sits with a finished film product and no theaters in which to show it.
And earlier this month, rival studio Universal enjoyed a strong showing when it decided to make their animated film Trolls World Tour available for home viewing in time for Easter, racking up an estimated first-weekend stateside take that landed between $40M and $50M –– among the strongest for one opening film’s streaming profits to date.
‘While we’re all eager to be able to once again show our films in theaters, we’re navigating new, unprecedented times which call for creative thinking and adaptability in how we distribute our content,’ Warner Bros chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff said Tuesday.
Not in theaters at all, actually: The animated movie featuring the Hanna-Barbera mystery-solving dog and his cohorts will be available for a 48-hour rental period starting May 15th
‘We know fans are eager to see Scoob! and we’re delighted we can deliver this feel-good movie for families to enjoy while they’re home together.’
The new Scooby-Doo film, billed as the first-ever animated feature-length film in the franchise, explores Scooby’s and best human friend Shaggy’s origins, along with Mystery Inc.’s most challenging mystery ever.
Along with Efron, Scoob! features the voices of Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Kiersey Clemons, Ken Jeong, Tracy Morgan and veteran Scooby-Doo voice actor Frank Welker as the titular dog.
Fred, Velma and Daphne: The new Scooby-Doo film explores Scooby’s and best human friend Shaggy’s origins, along with Mystery Inc.’s most challenging mystery ever
And while the release plan has clearly been altered for Scoob!, Warner Bros. has no plans, yet, to further change the schedule for its big ticket 2020 vehicle Wonder Woman 1984, which is still due in theaters on August 14th.
The hope, of course, is that the general public will be allowed to visit movie theaters once more by that date, and that they will feel comfortable doing so.
Other big films on WB’s roster this year include Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, which is currently due in mid-July.
It was also announced Tuesday by the studio that their film adaptation of Broadway musical In The Heights has been re-scheduled for June 18, 2021.
What are they so afraid of: ‘We know fans are eager to see Scoob! and we’re delighted we can deliver this feel-good movie for families to enjoy while they’re home together’ said WB’s CEO