Overview
- Effective immediately, Universal guarantees at least five weekends of exclusive theatrical play for 2026 releases, expanding to seven weekends (about 45 days) starting in January 2027, according to NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley.
- Focus Features remains exempt from the new minimums and will continue using shorter, case-by-case windows of roughly 17 days for specialty titles.
- Exhibitors greeted the change positively, with AMC Theatres chief Adam Aron publicly praising Universal’s commitment and leadership.
- Longer theatrical runs will push back downstream timing, delaying PVOD and subsequent Peacock and Netflix windows for titles including Reminders of Him, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Disclosure Day, and The Odyssey.
- The move reverses Universal’s pandemic-era 17–31 day approach and brings the studio closer to peers that commonly use ~45-day (Warner Bros., Paramount) or ~60-day (Disney) windows.