Hollywood wants to survive the current coronavirus pandemic as much the rest of us and, to give it a fighting chance, studios are handing some films which would've been enjoying cinema runs right now, home entertainment releases on on-demand platforms. Some films that were lucky enough to enjoy theatrical releases earlier in the year have been rushed to VOD services months ahead of time, too.
Sadly, many of the year's big hitters have been delayed, for up to a year, to ensure the wide theatrical window they deserve – including James Bond No Time to Die, Marvel's Black Widow, DC's Wonder Woman 1984, Fast & Furious 9, Disney's Mulan, Top Gun: Maverick and sequels to A Quiet Place and Peter Rabbit.
But thankfully that isn't the case for all of them. While cinemas are closed, cinephiles can still get their new-film fix by diverting their regular cinema ticket budget to digital rentals and purchases on services such as Sky Store, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Here are the cinema film releases currently available to watch online...
Irresistible
The Daily Show's political satirist Jon Stewart sets Wisconsin as the scene for his political circus in which a Democratic campaign strategist (Steve Carrell) helps a retired veteran run for mayor in the small, conservative town.
- Rent Irresistible HD) on Amazon Prime (opens in new tab)
- Rent Irresisible (HD) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent Irresistible (HD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Irresistible (HD) on Chili (opens in new tab)
- Rent Irresistible (HD) on Rakuten (opens in new tab)
A Rainy Day in New York
After its release was halted by Amazon Studios amid the controversy regarding Woody Allen and the Me Too movement, A Rainy Day in New York has now been released in the UK market - two years after it was completed. Allen's latest rom-com sees college sweethearts (Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning) embark on an adventure in New York City in the rain. Expect more of the same wit and romantic panache.
- Rent A Rainy Day (HD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent A Rainy Day (HD) on Amazon (opens in new tab)
- Rent A Rainy Day (HD) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent A Rainy Day (HD) on Rakuten (opens in new tab)
- Rent A Rainy Day (HD) on Curzon (opens in new tab)
The King of Staten Island
The latest feature from teen comedy titan Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Trainwreck) is a sort-of semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age take on the life of comedian Peter Davidson, a Saturday Night Live regular who lost his firefighter father during the September 11 attacks and has had his own battles with depression.
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on Amazon Prime (opens in new tab)
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on Rakuten (opens in new tab)
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent The King of Staten Island (HD, 4K) on YouTube (opens in new tab)
Trolls: World Tour
Trolls: World Tour is available to rent on a whole host of streaming services, including Sky Store, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Store and iTunes.
The sequel to DreamWorks Animation's 2016 hit, Trolls sees Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake and James Corden reprise their voiceover roles for the troll tribe's next adventure.
- Rent Trolls: World Tour (HD, SD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Trolls: World Tour (HD, SD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Rent Trolls: World Tour (HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Trolls: World Tour (4K, HD) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
Onward
4th May
Recently released on digital video-on-demand platforms and the Disney Plus subscription service in the US, Pixar's latest feature is now available to pre-order in the UK through on-demand services such as Sky and Amazon.
It will be available to watch from Monday.
Onward hit cinemas just before lockdown so didn't get a fair theatrical outing – a shame considering the family adventure animation has been critically acclaimed for its quintessential Pixar charm, emotional clout and humour. One to hunker down with the kids to, it seems.
- Watch Onward on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Watch Onward on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Watch Onward on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Watch Onward on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Watch Onward on YouTube (opens in new tab)
Sonic the Hedgehog
After its UK theatrical run in February, Sonic the Hedgehog has been rushed to digital platforms early. The first live-action Sonic adaptation sees everyone's favourite hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwarz) team up with local town sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) to find his lost rings and escape Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
- Buy Sonic the Hedgehog (HD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Buy Sonic the Hedgehog (SD, HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Buy Sonic the Hedgehog (4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Buy Sonic the Hedgehog (HD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Buy Sonic the Hedgehog (4K) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
Military Wives
Based on the real-life army wives who formed a choir on a military base during their husbands' Afghanistan tours, this Kristin Scott Thomas-starring comedy-drama only spent a few weeks at the box office before the coronavirus outbreak forced cinemas to close. For that reason, its digital release has been brought forward from autumn.
- Rent Military Wives (SD, HD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Military Wives (SD, HD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Rent Military Wives (HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Military Wives (HD) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent Military Wives (HD) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
Bloodshot
Sony Pictures Entertainment has accelerated the digital release of this Vin Diesel-starring superhero action film, which was due to hit cinemas in mid-March. Based on the bestselling comic book, and the first instalment in a new Valiant Comics universe franchise set to take on Marvel and DC, it follows a soldier who is recently killed in action but brought back to life as the superhero Bloodshot by a nanotechnology corporation.
- Buy Bloodshot (SD, HD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Buy Bloodshot (4K, SD) on YouTube (opens in new tab)
- Buy Bloodshot (4K , SD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Buy Bloodshot (4K) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
- Buy Bloodshot (4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
The Hunt
In the shadow of a dark internet conspiracy theory, a group of globalist elites gathers for the very first time at a remote manor house to hunt 12 unwitting humans for sport. With its US release having been postponed last year following two mass shootings in the country, this surprisingly humorous Universal Pictures horror/thriller has now gone straight to streaming services in the US and UK.
- Rent The Hunt (HD, SD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Hunt (HD, SD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Hunt (4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Hunt (HD) on YouTube (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Hunt (HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
The Invisible Man
Another early Universal Pictures release. From the writer of Saw and Insidious comes a smart thriller about a woman who suspects she is being terrorised by her abusive ex-boyfriend scientist... weeks after he supposedly committed suicide. Lead by a deft performance by Elisabeth Moss, it's an ideal Saturday night flick. No, really.
- Rent The Invisible Man (HD, SD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Invisible Man (HD, SD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Invisible Man (4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Invisible Man (HD) on YouTube (opens in new tab)
- Rent The Invisible Man (HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
Emma
Anya Taylor-Joy steers away from her horror film roles (The Witch, Split, Morgan) to star in the latest big-screen adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 beloved novel. Set in 1800s England, this witty, lighthearted and faithful comedy-drama follows Emma Woodhouse, a well-meaning but selfish young woman who meddles in the love lives of her friends.
- Rent Emma (HD, SD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Emma (HD, SD) on Amazon Prime Video (opens in new tab)
- Rent Emma (4K) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent Emma (HD) on Google Play Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent Emma (HD) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
Vivarium
A quirky sci-fi horror helmed by the wonderful Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, Vivarium follows a young couple's search for the perfect home and their consequential entrapment in a mysterious and surreal neighbourhood of identical houses.
- Rent Vivarium (HD) on BFI Player (opens in new tab)
- Rent Vivarium (HD) on Curzon (opens in new tab)
- Rent or Buy Vivarium (HD, SD) on Sky Store (opens in new tab)
- Rent or Buy Vivarium (HD) on iTunes (opens in new tab)
- Rent or Buy Vivarium (HD) on Rakuten TV (opens in new tab)
Artemis Fowl
Coming 12th June
Disney's latest live-action film is skipping cinemas and coming straight to its video streaming service Disney+ on 12th June. The Kenneth Branagh-directed fantasy adventure is based on the book by Eoin Colfer and follows the journey of 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he desperately tries to save his father who has been kidnapped.
- Sign up to Disney+ now (opens in new tab)
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