Comcast Corp. ’s Universal Pictures said it is making its movies available to watch at home while they are still in theaters, a massive change from Hollywood’s long-established business model that could upend the industry if other studios follow suit.

The decision comes amid widespread closures of movie theaters as the global coronavirus pandemic spreads. Authorities in New York City and Los Angeles on Sunday ordered all movie theaters to close; exhibitors had previously said they would limit attendance in theaters to 50% of their capacity. China, the world’s second-largest market, has kept tens of thousands of theaters closed since late January.

One of the nation’s largest theater chains, Cineworld Group PLC ’s Regal Entertainment Group, said Monday that it is temporarily closing all of its 542 U.S. locations.

Major studios typically release new movies exclusively in theaters during a window of 75 days in a bid to maintain ticket sales, on the theory that fans are more likely to watch a new movie at home if that is an option.

Keeping that strategy in place has long been a priority for theaters, and major studios generally have been reluctant to do away with such windows altogether, even as the lengths of those periods have steadily shortened over the years.