What's news: Hollywood grapples with collapsing theatrical windows as Onward and The Way Back hit digital early, Film Academy evaluating "all aspects" of virus on Oscars, Rep. Adam Schiff pushes for entertainment worker relief, Cannes canceled, Minions delayed, AT&T and Disney warn investors of virus impact, Wednesday box office hits an all-time low. Plus: NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt on covering the pandemic, and TV hospital shows donate their supplies. --Alex Weprin

 Theatrical Window Collapsing

California Governor Gavin Newsom officially instructed residents of the state to stay at home as the coronavirus crisis accelerates. Meanwhile, the entertainment business continues its slow but steady shutdown as the industry tries to figure out its next steps...

►Virus crisis forces Hollywood to reckon with collapsing theatrical windows. As theaters across the U.S. shut down, studios are experimenting with releasing on-demand, but for tentpoles "the math really doesn't work," Kim Masters reports.

Quote: "[Lightshed analyst Rich] Greenfield says that when it comes to the math of releasing a big-budget studio film on pay-per-view, much is unknown. 'Let's say [Universal] thought Trolls would be a $600 million film. They could have made $260 million out of the theatrical window. At $20, can they sell 13 million copies? It's a big data point. They're going to learn a lot from doing Trolls,' he says." The story.

Nonetheless, the windows keep breaking...

+Disney is releasing Onward early on digital. The Pixar film was released earlier this month, but will be released on VOD today, and on Disney+ in early April, Disney says. The story.

+Warner Bros. is making the Ben Affleck movie The Way Back, which is currently in theaters, available on demand on digital retail platforms, the studio said Thursday, as cinemas go dark amid the global coronavirus pandemic. More.

+Kino Lorber launches online movie theater amid coronavirus pandemic. Kino Marquee will allow cinemas shuttered by the virus outbreak to reach audiences with virtual screening rooms, initially with play for the Sonia Braga-starrer Bacurau. The story.

+Also: As the coronavirus pandemic shutters traditional theaters for social distancing, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company are set to release I Still Believe, the KJ Apa and Britt Robertson-starring faith-based drama on premium video on demand platforms, starting on March 27. More.

+Europe cinema group speaks out against breaking theatrical windows amid coronavirus. Releasing films directly to VOD during the cinema shutdown “is not in the interest of either the [theater] sector or audiences,” said Europe's International Union of Cinemas. More.

Just in: An NBC News employee has died after being infected with the novel coronavirus, the network announced on Friday morning. The employee, Larry Edgeworth, worked in the equipment room at the network's 30 Rockefeller Plaza office in midtown Manhattan. The story.

►Hollywood dealmakers navigate pandemic amid looming writers' war. Once productions began to shut down, many agents, managers and lawyers received an influx of calls from their clients, all asking the same question: "Am I going to get paid?" Bryn Elise Sandberg reports.

Quote: "This has to be the most devastating example of a true force majeure event Hollywood has ever had," says talent attorney Lev Ginsburg, who reps Timothée Chalamet and Colin Trevorrow. "After all, labor strikes are generally one union at a time and natural disasters like wildfires and earthquakes are local. A global pandemic triggering simultaneous industry-wide shutdowns is without precedent. We are going to have to figure it out day by day, and everyone seems to have the same principal focus: keeping everyone safe." The story.

►Film Academy evaluating "all aspects" of coronavirus impact for Oscars. The Academy faces a dilemma over Oscars eligibility as studios push back release dates or opt to debut theatrical films on VOD as cinemas go dark, Scott Feinberg reports. The story.

►Rep. Adam Schiff leads effort urging financial relief for entertainment workers. California Rep. Adam Schiff and members of Congress from Los Angeles and other entertainment production hubs around the country sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging financial relief for freelance and contract workers in the entertainment industry who have lost work because of coronavirus-related cancellations or postponements. More.

+Alamo Drafthouse unveils $2 million relief fund for furloughed workers. Team members at company-operated locations will receive a supplemental two weeks’ worth of pay, and their health coverage will be covered through the end of April. More.

+Three days after it made the unprecedented decision to close all its cinemas in the U.K. and Ireland, Cineworld – the U.K.'s largest exhibitor and the second-biggest cinema chain internationally – has begun laying off staff. More.



^Cannes Film Festival postponed. The official festival account tweeted, "Due to the health crisis and the development of the French and international situation, the Festival de Cannes will no longer be able to take place on the dates planned, from May 12 to 23." It is unclear at this point whether the 2020 festival will be held at a later date or if it will called off entirely. The story.

+Flashback: The last time the Cannes Film Festival got called off, it wasn't a virus that did it. It was a revolution. More.

+Universal delays Minions: The Rise of Gru early July release. Animation house Illumination says disruptions in the post-production process make it impossible to finish the film in time for its planned global roll out, Pamela McClintock reports. The story.

+Production on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic in Australia has been suspended indefinitely after the Warner Bros. project was hit by star Tom Hanks' positive test for the coronavirus last week.

Other coronavirus-related cancelations and postponements...

--The Walt Disney Co. has postponed the launch of its streaming service Disney+ in India amid the coronavirus pandemic. It was set to become available on March 29 to coincide with the start of the Indian Premier League cricket tournament, whose start has been delayed to mid-April due to the virus.

--The Metropolitan Opera is canceling the rest of its season and stopping the pay of the orchestra, chorus and other unionized employees at the end of March due to the new coronavirus.

--The Daytime Emmys won't be happening this summer, having been postponed to a later date in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has brought similar events to a standstill.

--Add the 2020 Webby Awards to the list of major events that have been affected by the coronavirus global pandemic. The 24th annual ceremony, honoring the best of the Internet, was set to take place May 11 in New York City but has now been canceled in light of the disease and efforts to limit large group gatherings.

--Timothée Chalamet's British stage debut in the Amy Herzog play 4000 Miles has been put on hold at London venue The Old Vic.

--Publishing's annual national convention, BookExpo, has been pushed back from May to July. Organizers cited concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

--Diamond Comic Distributors has announced that Free Comic Book Day, the annual event to promote the comic book industry, has been indefinitely postponed from its planned May 2 date.

 Companies Warn Of Virus Impact

►AT&T cancels $4 billion stock buyback deal amid virus crisis, says impact "could be material." Similar to the Walt Disney Co. on Thursday (see below), AT&T said it was difficult at this stage to quantify the financial fallout from the pandemic and didn't provide any estimates for its impact. The story.

+Disney warns of ad sales impact, disruption to content production amid virus crisis. The conglomerate, led by CEO Bob Chapek and executive chairman Bob Iger, also discussed the fallout from programming that is disappearing from its lineup as film and TV productions have been shut down and movie releases postponed. "There has been a disruption in creation and availability of content we rely on for our various distribution paths, including most significantly the cancellation of certain sports events and the shutting down of production of most film and television content," Disney said. The story.

+Imax stock surges as analyst touts cash strength to survive virus impact. "We believe Imax can survive for at least two years given its pristine balance sheet," Macquarie Research said as the giant screen exhibitor led by CEO Richard Gelfond saw its shares jump 35 percent in value. More.

+Charter Communications chairman and CEO Thomas Rutledge received compensation worth $8.74 million in 2019, up slightly from $8.15 million in 2018 and $7.8 million in 2017. More.

+On the internet front: Google's YouTube said Friday that it has agreed to reduce its streaming quality in Europe, including the U.K., to standard definition for the next month to help avoid internet congestion amid the coronavirus pandemic... European government and regulatory bodies have authorized the E.U.'s telecom operators and internet service providers to apply exceptional measures, including the throttling of online speeds, to prevent network congestion amid increased demand...

►Lester Holt on broadcasting in the age of coronavirus: "We do what we have to do." "I have a camera and a setup in my condo if it comes to that," Holt told THR's Jeremy Barr. "If I can't work in [30 Rock], I'll be broadcasting from my living room. We do what we have to do."... "We're going to get to a point where everybody is going to have some nexus to this infection," Holt added. "We also have to be transparent, because we have had to change the way we operate in many ways." The interview.

More coronavirus-related news...

--How 12-step groups are coping amid coronavirus-enforced shutdowns: “We need each other.”

--A COVID-19 dilemma: What to say when an employee gets sick.

--Daniel Dae Kim revealed on Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Kim — best known for his roles on TV shows such as Hawaii 5-0, Lost, Angel and The Good Doctor — shared a post on Instagram announcing his diagnosis.  

--Universal Studios on Thursday responded to a report that a man who was infected with the novel coronavirus — and later died — visited Universal Studios Orlando before it closed its doors. He also reportedly visited Walt Disney World.

--Sibling networks Discovery Channel and Science Channel are taking an in-depth look at coronavirus as the world grapples with the global pandemic. Pandemic: Covid-19 will simulcast on both channels at 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.

--The head of the British directors association, Directors UK, has called on the government to consider emergency measures to support freelance and self-employed workers in the film and TV industries, among the creative sectors hardest hit by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.



^TV's fictional hospitals are helping real hospitals in need. As TV shows are shut down, with productions closed and series go into hiatus, medical dramas such as Fox’s The Resident, NBC’s New Amsterdam, ABC’s The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff show Station 19 have decided to donate their surplus medical supplies from sets to real hospitals and locals in need. More.

►GDC Summer, new event to replace postponed Game Developers Conference, set For August. GDC Summer is described as a "unique" experience from the original planned conference, but the organization says the event will "retain the same high level of expert-led talks as the traditional GDC, along with a freestyle two-day expo show floor from August 5-6." More.

►Telemundo rallies musicians to play from home in Concierto en Casa. The event, the latest inspired by people staying at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, has already lined up such top Latino artists as J Balvin, Luis Fonsi, Alejandro Sanz, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, CNCO, Prince Royce, Reik, Sofia Reyes, Carlos Vives, Wisin, Jesse and Joy, Alejandra Guzman and Mau y Ricky. More.

Here's how some entertainers are taking it upon themselves to spread some joy to fans stuck at home...

--Josh Gad wants to give fans of all ages a distraction during such a stressful and uncertain time due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he is picking up a good book — actually, numerous books. Last week, the Frozen star began sharing children's books via social media, starting with Olivia Goes to Venice by Ian Falconer. Gad, of course, does not simply read the books — he performs them. 

--Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, have found a way to offer some tips for those who are holed up in their homes for the foreseeable future. On Thursday, the comedian posted to his official Instagram account that the couple have started a podcast with recommendations on entertainment and ways to stay sane during this tricky time.

--A number of musicians are lending their talents to coronavirus relief efforts, setting live-streamed performances to keep fans stuck at home entertained and urging people to support the World Health Organization's fund to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

--Comedian Cameron Esposito on launching memoir Save Yourself amid coronavirus pandemic.

 The rest of the day's news...

►Box Office: Revenue falls to unprecedented low of $300K on Wednesday as theaters go dark. That compares to $10.7 million in revenue on the same Wednesday a year ago, resulting in a year-over-year decline of 97 percent. Revenue a week ago on the same day was $7.7 million, according to Comscore. Box office analysts say $300,000 is no doubt the lowest number in modern history for a single weekday. The story.

►Amazon lands The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence limited series, Reed Morano to direct. Though no writer is currently attached, Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Television co-presidents Marci Wiseman and Jeremy Gold will executive produce, as will Scoop Wasserstein on behalf of New York Magazine and Vox Media Studios. The story.

►Dan McDermott, David Beck join AMC's restructured senior leadership team. McDermott, who in May was hired to run Lionsgate and BBC's scripted TV partnership, has been recruited to serve as president of original programming and co-president of AMC Studios. Beck, who was exec vp strategy and operations at WarnerMedia, will serve as exec vp and head of programming strategy and business operations. Both will report to AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios president Barnett. More.

+Also: As CAA continues to expand its gaming roster, the agency has signed YouTube and Twitch personalities Jesse Cox and Bruce Greene.

►Academy of Country Music sets special of home, acoustic performances for ACM Awards time slot. A starry lineup of country music stars will do their bit by practicing social distancing, staying home and keeping the tunes coming for a special broadcast event, ACM Presents: Our Country. A yet-to-be revealed list of famous guests will perform at-home acoustic performances for the CBS special, scheduled to air 8 p.m. ET on April 5, the slot left vacant by the postponed Academy of Country Music Awards. More.

►TV ratings: Same-day ratings for the networks improved again Wednesday, as every major English- and Spanish-language broadcaster gained viewers — even The CW's lineup of repeats. Survivor had its best performance since last spring for CBS, The Masked Singer reached its biggest audience since its Super Bowl episode and NBC's Chicago dramas all had their best outings in more than a year. The numbers.

►TV's Top 5 podcast: During this week's podcast, hosts Daniel Fienberg and Lesley Goldberg are joined by Little Fires Everywhere showrunner Liz Tigelaar and also discuss how the global pandemic is impacting the TV landscape. Listen.

►Review: Inkoo Kang reviews the Netflix miniseries Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker...Robyn Bahr reviews Netflix's The Letter For The King...

►Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio on All-Stars premiere and current state of the food world. The legendary chef speaks with THR about what to expect from Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., his new digital series What Would Tom Do, and the coronavirus' seismic impact on the restaurant industry. The interview.

What else we're reading...

--"Will Homer Simpson break the internet?" [FT]

--"Hollywood has gone home. Why are many visual effects artists still going into work?" [LA Times]

--"Ads for face masks still appear on Facebook despite company's pledge to ban them" [CNN Business]

--"Advertisers seek pandemic-related delay in CCPA" [Multichannel News]

--"The freestyle brilliance of J.B. Smoove, the secret weapon of Curb Your Enthusiasm" [The Ringer]

Today's birthdays: Dame Vera Lynn, 103, William Hurt, 70, Spike Lee, 63, Holly Hunter, 62, Michael Rapaport, 50.