This news is found through multiple outets but here's one that I saw includes information relating to how Disney also pulled some movies to just
Disney+ rather than theater release:
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/28/...rld-tour-disney-warnermedia-digital-streaming
Some key comments-
{NBCUniversal CEO Jeff}Shell noted that as “soon as theaters reopen, we expect to release movies on both formats,” meaning some movies would continue with theatrical releases while others would go directly to digital retailers or possibly land on NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock. The move led to a lengthy statement from AMC Theatres chair-CEO Adam Aron, who claimed that Shell’s comments were “unacceptable.”
“It is disappointing to us, but Jeff’s comments as to Universal’s unilateral actions and intentions have left us with no choice,” Aron wrote. “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,” Aron continued in his letter. “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.”
"Universal isn’t the only studio who’s bypassing theatrical releases for some of its films, but Shell is one of the only executives who is “contemplating a wholesale change to the status quo,” according to Aron. That’s why, despite WarnerMedia and Disney moving
Scoob! and
Artemis Fowl to streaming and digital exclusives, AMC has not barred them from playing films. Still, both WarnerMedia and Disney heads have made similar comments about looking at their distribution options."
