This image released by DreamWorks Animation shows characters Poppy, voiced by Anna Kendrick, left, and and Branch, voiced by Justin Timberlake in a scene from the animated film "Trolls World Tour." (PHOTO / DREAMWORKS ANIMATION VIA AP)

Universal Pictures, a division of Comcast Corp-owned NBCUniversal, will make its movies available at home on the same day they are released in theaters worldwide, beginning with the DreamWorks Animation film Trolls World Tour - which opens in the United States on April 10.

The decision by Universal Pictures is a response to changing consumer behavior as the coronavirus spreads

The decision, announced by NBCUniversal on Monday, is a response to changing consumer behavior as the coronavirus spreads. It upends the traditional practice of keeping a movie exclusively in theaters for what is typically a 90-day window before releasing it on other platforms.

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NBCUniversal will “continue to evaluate the environment as conditions evolve,” the company said in a statement, adding it will revisit the strategy when the current situation changes.

An employee waits at an empty Regal Cinemas movie theatre table on March 15, 2020 in Washington,DC. (OLIVIER DOULIERY / AFP)

On Sunday night, the mayors of New York and Los Angeles ordered movie theaters in their respective cities to close in response to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

NBCUniversal said that by Friday, recently released films including The Hunt, The Invisible Man and Emma will be available from sister companies Sky and Comcast and on a variety of on-demand services. The suggested price will be US$19.99 in the United States for a 48-hour rental, and the equivalent price elsewhere.

US actress Hilary Swank arrives for a special screening of Universal Pictures' "The Hunt," March 9, 2020 at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood. (ROBYN BECK / AFP)

“Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenged distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable,” said NBCUniversal Chief Executive Officer Jeff Shell in a statement.

READ MORE: US box office plunges to lowest level in over two decades over virus

Between this past Friday and Sunday, North American movie box office sales hit their lowest levels in over two decades, according to Comscore, as viewers stayed home and theaters capped their seating capacity to create more space between moviegoers.