Vin Diesel was adamant that he wouldn’t let the growing Coronavirus pandemic get in the way of Bloodshot hitting theaters on time, but with the crisis worsening by the day, it looks like he might have been a little too hasty. The vast majority of cinemas in the United States are now closed, and the actor’s latest action flick debuted at the worst possible time, failing to even crack $10 million in what turned out to be the lowest-grossing weekend at the domestic box office for 22 years.
The movie business is preparing itself for the worst, with a huge number of big name blockbusters recently seeing their release dates shelved indefinitely and analysts predicting that Hollywood is set to miss out on up to $20 billion in revenue due to the ongoing lockdowns being put in place around the globe. Diesel has always been vocal in saying that everything he does is for his fans though, which is why we perhaps shouldn’t be so surprised that Bloodshot is set to hit home video next Tuesday after spending just two weeks in theaters.
Sony Chairman Tom Rothman released a statement on why they made the decision, explaining it as follows:
“Sony Pictures is firmly committed to theatrical exhibition and we support windowing. This is a unique and extremely rare circumstance where theaters have been required to close nationwide for the greater good and Bloodshot is abruptly unavailable in any medium. Audiences will now have the chance to own Bloodshot right away and see it at home, where we are all spending more time. We are confident that, like other businesses hit hard by the virus, movie theaters will bounce back strongly, and we will be there to support them.”
Of course, fans also went online to react to the news, with many praising Sony’s idea to do something for their customers who’ve been forced to self-isolate.
News: #Bloodshot will hit VOD March 24, less than two weeks after it hit theaters
— Aaron Couch (@AaronCouch) March 18, 2020
Me on my way to the cinema (a.k.a my couch) to watch The Invisible Man, The Hunt and Bloodshot now that they’re gonna be released online https://t.co/zX8IEhgLY5
— Chase (@ChaseStein_) March 18, 2020
@SamHeughan Can’t wait till next week to purchase Bloodshot!! Something good to look forward to when life is so worrisome!
— Karen Gervais (@tigger3358) March 18, 2020
That's crazy I just saw this shit in the theater with my friends a week ago. Damn and now you can already see digitally next week. #Bloodshot Its actually alright. Cool cyborg people. https://t.co/sHA3tkHniF
— Cris_B🧟♂️🌵 (@parappa317) March 18, 2020
So excited to be able to see #Bloodshot and was crushed when we weren’t able to see it on opening weekend. Something good to look forward to!
— Jennifer (@JBSchneider50) March 18, 2020
Both #BirdsOfPrey & #Bloodshot will be available for purchase on Tuesday 3/24!
Which one should we do as a Watch Along at 6pm EST on 3/24?
*you have to buy a copy of the film to participate
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) March 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/marriaisabel28/status/1240388614556655618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1240388614556655618&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2020%2F03%2F18%2Finternet-reacts-vin-diesel-bloodshot-digital-coronavirus-columbia-pictures%2F
The early release of Bloodshot could be the start of a trend depending on how long the Coronavirus-related restrictions are kept in place, because up until life can start to return to normal, the theatrical experience is basically dead and gone. The studios still need people to head to their local cinema when the panic is over, though, and letting them watch some newer releases while quarantining is a smart way to keep them onside.