For NBCUniversal, being locked out of the company’s theaters worldwide may be an acceptable trade, it has many ways to get customers its movies, with Comcast boxes, Peacock, Vudu and more.

However the letter is very clearly written as a threat to others who might follow in its footsteps (Warner Bros. will release Scoob! to home on May 15th, and Disney plans a Disney+ premiere for Artemis Fowl), thanks to the following section that was highlighted in bold:

“It is disappointing to us, but Jeff’s comments as to Universal’s unilateral actions and intentions have left us with no choice. Therefore, effectively immediately AMC will no longer play any Universal movies in any of our theatres in the United States, Europe or the Middle East. This policy affects any and all Universal movies per se, goes into effect today and as our theatres reopen, and is not some hollow or ill-considered threat. Incidentally, this policy is not aimed solely at Universal out of pique or to be punitive in any way, it also extends to any movie maker who unilaterally abandons current windowing practices absent good faith negotiations between us, so that they as distributor and we as exhibitor both benefit and neither are hurt from such changes. Currently, with the press comment today, Universal is the only studio contemplating a wholesale change to the status quo. Hence, this immediate communication in response.”

The National Association of Theater Owners also issued a statement (PDF) in support of the traditional release windows, claiming that without accounting for marketing costs and the special circumstances of stay-at-home orders, there’s no reason to believe this marks a shift in consumer habits.

NBCUniversal — which retweeted a link to the Wall Street Journal article — said in a statement that “going forward, we expect to release future films directly to theatres, as well as on PVOD when that distribution outlet makes sense. We look forward to having additional private conversations with our exhibition partners but are disappointed by this seemingly coordinated attempt from AMC and NATO to confuse our position and our actions.”

Fandango isn’t exactly selling many movie tickets right now, as almost all theaters (save for some drive-ins) are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Streaming, on the other hand, is booming, so adding Vudu to the portfolio might help Fandango’s bottom line in the long run. Comcast, which is the majority owner of Fandango, is in the midst of launching another streaming service: NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

Rumors have been floating around for several months that Walmart was seeking a buyer for Vudu. NBCUniversal emerged as a potential suitor back in February.

It looks like Frozen 2 isn’t the only Disney property getting an early launch due to the current conditions of everything. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is now available on most digital stores (Vudu, iTunes, Google Play, but not Amazon… yet) right now, several days before its March 17th launch date. It’s not available to rent, but you can buy it in up to 4K resolution, or opt for the $100 Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 9-Movie Collection.

Is it worth it? Despite a 51% Rotten Tomatoes rating from critics it did manage an 86 percent audience score, so there’s a chance you’ll be thoroughly entertained with how this third trilogy comes to an end. If not, at least you’re at home and you can easily flip over to something else, or just update the new lists on Vudu.

Vudu has just introduced a new lists feature that will finally let users organize their selection of movies and TV shows. Instead of just sorting them through release date or alphabetical order, you can now sift through your collection via customized categories and lists. Think of it as a mix playlist, but for your favorite Vudu flicks.

To create a list, simply look for “Lists” under the “My Vudu” menu. Select “Create New List” and away you go. You can either select individual titles or a whole slew of them at once. You can add the same movie to multiple lists, and after you make the list, the choices can be re-ordered however you want.

Some examples of lists include Marvel movies, family favorites, the top 100 movies of all time, retro classics, or maybe a few romantic choices for date night. The list doesn’t need to include just the movies you own either; you can include free titles from the catalog as well as movies you have yet to purchase. When you log on, you’ll see a list of Star Wars movies that Vudu created to help kick off the feature.

As we discussed last year, it’s getting expensive to keep up with TV due to the increasing number of streaming options popping up. Companies need to find a way to make money, especially those pumping millions into their projects. WSJ says that Vudu would complement Peacock if the sale goes through, and its online movie rental service would support Fandango, NBCUniversal’s movie ticketing and rental business. Peacock would set users back $10 a month for the ad-free tier and $5 for the ad-supported one. Vudu doesn’t have a subscription fee. It has shows users can stream at no cost, but they can also pay for movies and series not available for free.

The possibility of Vudu’s sale doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. Walmart announced a lineup of originals for the service in May 2019, but a report that went around a few months later said the retail giant would consider selling the ad-supported streaming platform if it finds a buyer.

It obviously can’t help if the film you’ve chosen goes downhill after that. But if you’re not feeling what you’re watching right from the start, all you need to do is stop the film within half an hour, and then call or email customer service within 24 hours. Vudu will issue your account with credit equal to the price of your rental within the day, as well.

While the feature sounds like a great way to find the perfect films to watch for your holiday get-togethers, take note that it does have limitations. You can only do it once per movie, and you’re limited to four redos per month. Also, it won’t work on movies you’ve already downloaded on your device, because Vudu has to be able to remove the rental from your account to be able to issue your credit.

In case your feelings of regret came from renting from Vudu when the movie you’ve chosen is available for cheaper elsewhere, don’t worry: The platform has also introduced price matching for Amazon and iTunes. The rental has to be identical in every way, though, including resolution and edition. You also need to contact customer service within 24 hours and while Vudu can confirm its rivals’ lower prices, so you can receive the price difference in your account.

Just shy of a decade after Wal-mart bought Vudu, The Information reports that the retail giant is “considering” selling its digital video on-demand store. There’s no word on how far along in the process any potential deal is, or if will actually happen, but anyone can see that the service made more sense a few years ago, when it was one of the best ways to access DVD digital copies linked to an Ultraviolet locker. That went right along with in-store disc sales, and enabled a business selling digital copies to people who wanted an easier way to watch movies they’d already purchased on discs.

Now, Ultraviolet is dead and Disney’s Movies Anywhere setup has largely taken over that space. While it also connects to Vudu, it’s not exactly what Wal-mart had in mind back in 2010. Increasingly, video watching hours are devoted to subscription streaming services, which are using inflated budgets to swallow up exclusive content. There was a rumored plan to try and do the same thing for Vudu, but that appears to have fallen through, while Apple, Disney, Comcast/NBC and AT&T/Warner/HBO are all preparing to launch new subscription options.

In a statement to The Information, a Walmart spokesperson cited the service’s 100 million-strong install base, and said “We’re constantly having and [are] open to conversations with new and existing partners to explore opportunities for continued growth; however, we never share details of those discussions.”

Maybe a potential buyer will see benefit in a service that many people already use to get movies and TV shows, with some included free options, a small selection of original content like Mr. Mom, and a history that stretches back to 2007 when it launched on a $400 set-top box.

In addition to the Family Play feature, Vudu is also introducing new ratings and reviews specifically with parents in mind. The company is partnering with Common Sense Media to include commentary on movies and series that will help parents determine if it is appropriate to show to younger viewers. Vudu is also adding a Kids Mode that will provide a more limited selection of shows and films specifically geared toward kids, essentially walling off content that is considered to be more adult oriented. The feature will be available on both Vudu’s free library as well as on rented and purchased titles.

Vudu’s move to position itself as a particularly family-friendly streaming service comes as the platform launches its first family-oriented original series, Mr. Mom. The first two epsiodes of the 11 episode reboot of a John Hughes comedy classic is available starting today, with new batches of episodes dropping every week.