Universal’s ‘Trolls World Tour’ Earns Nearly $100 Million in First 3 Weeks of VOD Rentals

Universal’s gamble to bypass a theatrical release for “Trolls World Tour” and release it on demand instead appears to have paid off — big time. On Tuesday, the studio reported that the sequel to the 2016 animated hit has scored nearly 5 million rentals since its April 10 debut and earned close to $100 million in digital rental fees.

“Trolls World Tour” has already produced $77 million in revenue, more than the original 2016 animated movie did for the studio, an individual with knowledge of the figures told TheWrap. The original, produced with a $125 million budget, grossed $153.7 million domestically and $346.9 million worldwide. (The production budget on “World Tour” was about $90 million, the individual said.)

But unlike with theatrical grosses, which are split evenly with movie theaters, Universal retains roughly 80% of digital rental fees — which were set at a higher-than-usual level of $19.99 for “Trolls World Tour”.

The Wrap