The release of Trolls World Tour on VOD has led to a lot of backlash, and AMC has even decided that they will no longer play any future Universal Pictures movies (including the likes of F9 and Minions: The Rise of Gru) in response. Now, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the cast of the animated sequel were also caught off guard by the movie not receiving a traditional theatrical release.
However, they're not fretting too much about what that means for the big screen experience moving forward; instead, the likes of Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick want the box office bonuses they were promised!
With animated movies like this one, compensation is usually tied to BO performance, so it is money the cast is entitled to. They were never informed of the plan to send Trolls World Tour straight to Digital, and while the studio has touted a $100 million domestic debut, the trade says the film is still "in the red."
Some industry experts believe the sequel "may never make a dime," though others believe it could still turn a profit of at least $40 million by the time all is said and done. Bonuses for the cast would have kicked in when Trolls World Tour hit $350 million at the worldwide box office, and their reps are unhappy at the lack of transparency over how much money it's actually earned.
Another source tells the trade that studios "don’t have to show you the VOD numbers, so you’re completely relying on them. The lawyers will talk on both sides and come to a number. It doesn’t behoove them to look like they’re short-shrifting talent."
It's been a rough couple of months for every studio, but Universal Pictures has to be regretting a lot of recent decisions right now. Still, they were ultimately trying to make the best of a bad situation.