By the late 2010s, streaming had expanded consumer expectations for watching new releases at home. Premium video on demand (PVOD) described a higher-priced rental option that could offer films earlier than the normal home-release window—sometimes alongside, or instead of, theaters. The stage was set for experiments once normal release schedules were disrupted.
As COVID-19 prompted theater closures, Universal announced it would move several recent theatrical releases to $19.99 PVOD rentals much earlier than usual. This was a major break from the long-standing theatrical exclusivity window and signaled that studios were willing to use premium pricing to reach at-home audiences. The decision also created immediate tension with exhibitors that depended on exclusivity to protect ticket sales.
Universal moved The Invisible Man to PVOD on March 20, 2020, only a few weeks after its theatrical debut. The unusually fast shift illustrated how the pandemic forced studios to prioritize quick at-home revenue over the traditional release timeline. It also served as a real-world test of whether $19.99 rentals could substitute for (or complement) box office income.
Universal released Trolls World Tour on April 10, 2020, using a day-and-date strategy: available via digital rental at a premium price while traditional theaters were largely shuttered. The title became a widely discussed case because it treated PVOD as a primary release channel for a major studio film. The move helped push the industry toward formal negotiations about shortened windows and revenue sharing.
After public conflict over PVOD, AMC and Universal announced a deal that cut theatrical exclusivity for many Universal releases to 17 days (three weekends) before moving to PVOD. This agreement mattered because it turned an emergency workaround into a negotiated distribution model. It also gave other studios and chains a concrete benchmark for “short window” strategies.
Disney announced that its live-action Mulan would debut on Disney+ on a $29.99 “Premier Access” basis, while also planning theatrical releases in select markets. This was a premium-pricing experiment aimed at converting blockbuster demand into streaming-era revenue. It also showed a different PVOD-like approach: payment on top of an ongoing subscription.
Warner Bros. announced that its 2021 film slate would release in theaters and on HBO Max at the same time in the U.S. This was not a per-title PVOD fee, but it was a premium-distribution experiment because it traded box office exclusivity for subscription value and reach. The move intensified debate over who should capture value from first-run films: theaters, streaming platforms, or both.
Disney used Premier Access again for Raya and the Last Dragon, offering a simultaneous theatrical release and $29.99 at-home access for Disney+ subscribers. Repeating the model showed that Mulan was not just a one-off experiment. It also demonstrated how premium pricing was being tested beyond live-action remakes and into new animated features.
Disney announced Black Widow would release simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ via Premier Access for an added fee. Using a major Marvel title made the premium strategy harder to dismiss as niche, because it tested whether audiences would pay extra at home for a top-tier franchise film. The approach also raised questions about how day-and-date releases affect talent contracts tied to box office performance.
Disney applied Premier Access to additional high-profile releases such as Cruella, pairing theaters with a premium at-home option. This phase showed that premium pricing was being used as a repeatable release strategy, not just a pandemic emergency measure. It also helped normalize the idea that “opening weekend” could happen on a couch, not only in a cinema.
Jungle Cruise released in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in July 2021, and it later became identified as the last Disney Premier Access film release for a period. After this, Disney increasingly emphasized an exclusive theatrical window (often around 45 days) before streaming availability. The shift suggested that premium-pricing experiments had limits once theaters reopened and competition for box office revenue returned.
In early 2022, Disney announced Turning Red would premiere exclusively on Disney+ (no added Premier Access fee) in most markets, reflecting a shift away from premium upcharges. Across the industry, the 2020–2021 premium and day-and-date tests left a legacy: theaters often returned, but with shorter, more flexible windows and clearer planning for fast streaming availability. By 2022, the premium-pricing wave had largely cooled, replaced by a mix of shorter theatrical exclusivity and subscription-first releases depending on the title.
PVOD and premium-pricing experiments (2019–2022)