Movie Piracy Is Rising With Studios Skipping Theater Releases
- Millions of unlicensed ‘Mulan’ copies were shared in September
- Government, studios target illegal streaming platforms
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Along with stalling film production, shutting theaters and throwing release schedules into chaos, the coronavirus pandemic has brought still another woe to Hollywood: a rise in movie piracy.
Studios have tried to salvage some of their big-budget films this year by selling them through streaming services for $20 to $30. But that business model has made it easier for pirates to illegally copy and share new releases, with an estimated loss of millions of potential customers for the production companies.