Walt Disney Studios announced this morning that, due to the currently ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has resulted in nationwide theater shutdowns, they will be making 20th Century Studios' The Call of the Wild and Searchlight Pictures' Downhill available to purchase early on all Digital HD platforms, starting tomorrow, for $14.99 and $9.99, respectively.
The films join Disney/Pixar's Onward, which saw its theatrical window cut short dramatically, having been released digitally last Friday, just two weeks after it had been released theatrically. The Chris Pratt/Tom Holland-starrer is also slated to debut early on Disney+ on April 3.
No word yet on whether The Call of the Wild or Downhill will also be made available on Disney+ or another streaming service within the next few weeks, but it does seem more probable than not.
“The Call of the Wild” delighted audiences upon opening February 21, earning an 89% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes®. Adapted from the novel by Jack London, it vividly brings to the screen the story of Buck, a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Canadian Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team--and later its leader--Buck experiences the adventure of a lifetime, ultimately finding his true place in the world and becoming his own master. As a live-action/animation hybrid, “The Call of the Wild” employs visual effects and animation technology in order to bring the animals in the film to life. “The Call of the Wild” is directed by Chris Sanders and stars Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford, Cara Gee, Michael Horse, Jean Louisa Kelly, Colin Woodell, Adam Fergus and Abraham Benrubi. Erwin Stoff, p.g.a. and James Mangold, p.g.a. are producing with Diana Pokorny, Ryan Stafford and screenwriter Michael Green serving as executive producers.
“Downhill” debuted in theaters on February 14 after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell star in this biting comedy. “Downhill” is directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, written by Nat Faxon, Jim Rash and Jesse Armstrong and stars Will Ferrell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Zach Woods, Zoe Chao, Giulio Berruti, Kristofer Hivju and Miranda Otto. Anthony Bregman p.g.a., Julia Louis-Dreyfus p.g.a. and Stefanie Azpiazu p.g.a. are producing with Erik Hemmendorff and Ruben Östlund serving as executive producers.