In a strange turn of events, it appears that Warner Bros’ upcoming animated film “Scoob!” is still going to be released on May 15, the date that it was supposed to arrive in theaters. However, WB is taking a page out of Universal’s handbook and skipping theatrical altogether and going straight to VOD.
According to THR, WB has decided to allow for “Scoob!” to arrive for eager families on May 15, but instead of hitting the big screen, folks will be able to rent and purchase the film to view in the privacy of their own home. For $19.99 and $24.99, respectively, you can either rent the film for 48 hours or buy “Scoob!” outright when it becomes available. Why is WB skipping theatrical for a film that was likely going to do well in theaters? According to the studio’s CEO, it’s all about giving families something to watch together.
“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. CEO Ann Sarnoff said. “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.”
As mentioned, the “Scoob!” announcement comes on the heels of Universal’s release of “Trolls World Tour” on VOD earlier this month. That film marked the first huge theatrical release that was shifted onto VOD, forgoing its big-screen debut altogether, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we have no concrete statistics about how well/bad the ‘Trolls’ release was for Universal, the studio has said that it was the most popular VOD release in its history. Though, when you compare it to second-run films, it’s hardly a fair, apples-to-apples comparison.
“Scoob!” is clearly being set up as a launch of some sort of interconnected Hanna-Barbera film universe. With an all-star cast, this first film sets up the new origins of Scooby-Doo and his friends, while also introducing various other classic characters from the animated universe. Does this VOD release doom any possibilities of a franchise? Probably not. But it will be interesting to see how much money is left on the table by WB just pushing this film into homes.
