Here are the 2020 cinema film releases available to watch online

By Becky Roberts
published

Through Sky Store, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and more

Here are the 2020 cinema film releases available to watch online
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her eight years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.