The Secret Life of Pets 2 has been out in UK cinemas since May 24, 2019. But some countries have yet to receive the movie in cinemas and many may not want to battle the queues. With simultaneous streaming releases now happening more and more often, some fans may be wondering if they can watch the animated sequel from the comfort of their own homes.
Can you watch Secret Life of Pets 2 online and is it legal?
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is not available to stream online.
Any website claiming to have the movie in full will be illegal, so steer clear.
The estimated DVD and Digital Download release for the animated kid’s flick is in September 2019.
Kids waiting patiently for the sequel in America still have some time to wait.
The US release date of The Secret Life of Pets 2 is not until June 7, 2019.
Those in Germany have an even longer wait, with a release date scheduled for June 27, 2019.
Last on the list is Spain with an August 9, 2019 release date for The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Theoretically, one could even be jailed for watching a pirated movie online.
According to the Digital Economy Act, passed in 2017, those illegally streaming copyrighted content could face ten-year prison sentences.
The Digital Economy Act covers a number of areas, including broadband speeds, access to online pornography and government data-sharing.
Most importantly, however, is how it covers software called Kodi.
Kodi is a free and open-source media player software application developed by the XBMC Foundation.
Kodi is available for multiple operating systems and hardware platforms, from Mac to PCs.
But the main problem with Kodi is the availability of third-party plug-ins for the software.
These facilitate unauthorized access to copyrighted media content, like movies still playing in cinemas.
The Digital Economy Act long title is “A bill to make provision about electronic communications infrastructure and services; to provide for restricting access to online pornography; to make provision about protection of intellectual property in connection with electronic communications; to make provision about data-sharing; to make provision about functions of OFCOM in relation to the BBC; to provide for determination by the BBC of age-related TV licence fee concessions; to make provision about the regulation of direct marketing; to make other provision about OFCOM and its functions; and for connected purposes.”
The former minister of state for digital and culture Matt Hancock told the Independent in 2017: “I’m delighted the Digital Economy Act has become law.
“This legislation will help build a more connected and stronger economy.
“The Act will enable major improvements in broadband rollout, better support for consumers, better protection for children on the Internet, and further transformation of government services.”
Streaming illegally is not only an offence but is also bad form and detrimental to the film industry as a whole.
And with a run time of just under one and a half hours, you may as well head to the cinema anyway.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is now playing in cinemas.