The three month exclusivity window that movie theaters have been allowed to show a film before it can be rented or sold elsewhere was recently up for debate. After the success releasing Trolls World Tour through VOD (Video On-Demand), and making nearly $100 million in three weeks, it caused NBCUniversal’s CEO Jeff Shell to suggest the studio might begin releasing movies simultaneously in theaters and on-demand. According to a statement he made to the Wall Street Journal, Shell said, “As soon as theaters reopen, we expect to release movies on both formats.” 

To say that this made movie theaters furious would be an understatement. In fact, AMC’s CEO Adam Aron responded with a clear message that AMC theaters would ban all Universal movies, “This radical change by Universal to the business model that currently exists between our two companies represents nothing but downside for us and is categorically unacceptable to AMC Entertainment. Accordingly, we want to be absolutely clear, so that there is no ambiguity of any kind. 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.” To further his point, he went on to say, “Effectively immediately AMC will no longer play any Universal movies in any of our theatres in the United States, Europe or the Middle East. This policy affects any and all Universal movies per se, goes into effect today and as our theatres reopen, and is not some hollow or ill-considered threat.”

Whether you believe this tussle is just a minor scuffle or even a kerfuffle, it’s undoubtedly going to keep everyone in the movie industry walking on egg shells well into the future.