We are truly into unfamiliar territory. While people have been warning about the dangers of the COVID-19 virus for months, many hoped it would simply go away like many other diseases before it. Sadly, that hasn’t happened, and it’s left its fingerprint on the economy as a result. The film industry was hit big. I know some good folks who are currently jobless on the production side of things and the theaters have also been hit big. Not least of which, Pixar’s latest film Onward was slammed pretty heftily.

Worldwide, Onward has made roughly $100 million. For a movie of its size, that’s pretty darn bad. That is, far and away, the biggest failure for the studio over the course of its decades-long history. But, of course, we have the coronavirus to blame for that, as the movie was launched pretty much exactly when the public started to take social distancing measures. Disney did the smart thing and called this as it was: a victim of the times.

So rather than let it wallow in theaters for months, it’s made quite an unprecedented decision. Less than three weeks after its theatrical release, it has made Onward available for digital purchase. That’s right. Onward can be purchased digitally RIGHT NOW! And if you don’t have the funds to shell out but are subscribed to Disney+, you will only have a couple more weeks to wait, as the film will be available on April 3!

RELATED – Is Onward’s Muted Box Office Opening A Sign Of U.S. COVID-19 Concerns?

“While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, Onward) and Kori Rae (Producer, Onward).

I personally think this is a great move. We’re seeing moves like this from all across the industry. Trolls: World Tour is actually becoming available to rent digitally on its original release date and Disney even bumped up Frozen II’s Disney+ drop date to last weekend. In a time when audiences are hungry for content while in lockdown (and are in need of a little bit of happiness), moves like this make things a tad bit easier. Plus, I can only imagine how much easier it’ll make parents’ lives who are working from home to plop their kids in front of the TV with a new movie.

What do you think of this move from Disney? Will you be buying Onward digitally or waiting for it to drop on Disney+? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: Disney