Will COVID-19 end theatrical movies

[Jim Kelly]

The movies that are being made to be seen in theatres have those features that are suited to a theatrical experience--although someone like Christopher Nolan probably doesn't know what the actual theatrical experience is like for his movies, as he's imagining this perfect setting and not what most of us experience in movie theatres.

As alternatives to the theatre become more prevalent, directors will start making different choices. Just because a movie has a different aspect ratio, different lighting, different sound qualities--that doesn't make it a worse movie. There's this elitist attitude about movies having to look a certain way, because that way favours the highest ticket price cinemas.

New directors will use the technology to make better movies for home viewing, that play to the bias of that medium. It's not a lesser experience, it's just a different experience.

[AndrewCrossett]

We;re talking about two different things now. I was commenting on a person prefering to watch a movie on their phone or laptop vs HDTV. That has nothing to do with movies in theaters

I would never watch a movie on my phone.

And a laptop? That's crazy talk.

I watch on a real computer... a desktop.

Sitting in front of my computer monitor, the movie fills my range of vision in much the same way as a movie screen in a theater would, and probably better than a TV at normal watching distance.

And I watch a LOT more TV shows than movies. When I watch a movie it's most often at someone else's house on an HDTV.

Yes, as I said there are some movies that need big screen and big sound. If I'm watching a Marvel movie or a Star Wars movie I'll enjoy it more on the big screen, at least the first time.

But if I'm watching something like Breakfast at Tiffany's or Ghost World or a Neil Simon comedy... I neither notice or care about the difference.

[RockyHorror]

Theatrical movies are in no more danger of going away than arena sports or music concerts.

[Jim Kelly]

So you're saying there's a chance.

[Gaastra]

Box office this week.

The rental stays in first place. Odd thing is they didn't say what the rest of the movies were?


https://deadline.com/2020/08/dave-fr...in-1203001768/


China update.

SUNDAY UPDATE: As expected, Warner Bros’ re-release of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar had a blast in China on Sunday, grossing $2.85M. That gives the 2014 saga bragging rights to the Middle Kingdom’s biggest single day and highest ‘opening’ day gross since cinemas in low-risk areas resumed operations on July 20. At about $7.6M, Sunday was also the highest grossing day overall in the market post-COVID closures and contributed to a three-day weekend that was worth $17.6M across all titles.

Interstellar’s original run in China grossed $122M, and the reception on the re-release is a good sign for Nolan’s Tenet which starts rolling out internationally on August 26. A China date has yet to be confirmed, though the timing could line up.

https://deadline.com/2020/08/dolittl...es-1203000712/


Also that zombie train film has done well in korea!

Come what may, the resounding success of Peninsula in South Korea especially ($21 million thus far) is incredibly encouraging in terms of audiences going back to theaters when it’s safe to do so. The film has earned $26 million worldwide (as of Sunday, natch) and is, by default, the season’s biggest global grosser. We’ll see if Bad Boys for Life (August 14) or Sonic the Hedgehog (July 31) can hit paydirt when they open in China over the next two weeks.

$26.5 million worldwide (as of Sunday) is not a barn-burning number, and I’d be shocked if it made more than $3 million domestic (Train to Busan earned $2.1 million in North America theaters). However, it’s it’s a terrific start on a $16 million budget. It shows that audiences may indeed show up in relatively normal numbers when there is something specific they wish to see. That would be an obvious point in normal times, but right now it’s the most optimistic possible result for the big movies still set for 2020.

It implies that, yes, where it’s safe and possible to do so, 007 fans will show up for No Time to Die, Marvel fans will show up for Black Widow, Agatha Christie die hards will show up for Death on the Nile and horror fans of taste and culture will show up for Nia DeCosta and Jordan Peele’s Candyman when those films open theatrically. That’s double true for reasonably-budgeted genre flicks like Peninsula or Death on the Nile that don’t have to break records to break even.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottme.../#62fca25457ea

[Holt]

Mulan is now going to VOD.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/4/21...tenet-theaters

[Gaastra]

Yup Mulan heading to disney plus. And you have to pay $30 to watch it! Yes disney plus is putting a movie behind a paywall like vudu and itunes on disney plus. You can guess how ticked the fans are.

Put it on amazon and vudu like scoob. If they start locking movies behind a paywall on disney plus lots of people are going to be ticked. Plus if this is a hit netflix may do it next then hbo max, then boomerang, then---

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Mulan is now going to VOD.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/4/21...tenet-theaters

$30 bucks? Three times what it would cost to see the film at the multiplex? Sheeeeeee-it! Disney isn’t going to make many fans with that dickish move.

[WebLurker]

Mulan is now going to VOD.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/4/21...tenet-theaters

May I be the first to say it:

[Killerbee911]

Theatrical movies are in no more danger of going away than arena sports or music concerts.

People say stuff like this but it doesn't mean what you think Boxing and Horse Racing haven't gone away a boxing fight is still a huge deal and every year the Kentucky derby still pulls a lot people. But that is only time they have impact when in the past way more events for those things where a big deal. Theatrical movies might not be going anywhere but their impact can be reduced to near nothing except for a big event. You can easily see a world where people ONLY go to movie for a big blockbuster movie maybe once or twice a year. So yeah sure they aren't "going away" but does mean they aren't serious danger of being made completely irrelevant.

I can't completely match the experience of movie theater at home BUT what ever I lose from theater watch experience I gain by not having to sit by a screaming kid, not paying expensive food cost, being able to pause the movie and go the bathroom, not stepping on a sticky or dirty floor, not having someone talk during a movie, not having some laughing annoying during movie, not having bad seats, not having to drive home,etc. Yeah I might miss out on the kinship of fandom but the plus are a lot. I love watching endgame and infinity wars in theaters but if they were on Vods I would probably watch them at home.

Honestly as Nerd I like the idea what we do for the big ppv boxing matches or the Superbowl, Which is go over by someone house and watch it.Your close friends, everyone chips in some money or brings some good food. I don't know why people think the Culture of how we watch things can't change.

[Killerbee911]

Yup Mulan heading to disney plus. And you have to pay $30 to watch it! Yes disney plus is putting a movie behind a paywall like vudu and itunes on disney plus. You can guess how ticked the fans are.

Put it on amazon and vudu like scoob. If they start locking movies behind a paywall on disney plus lots of people are going to be ticked. Plus if this is a hit netflix may do it next then hbo max, then boomerang, then---

Streaming service with DLC, Honestly I am not that bothered by it . It might be the thing lower price overall price of the streaming services or It might create a free tier and pay tier with DLC system. It is too early to freak out about it even though I see how it could go bad. We could get say something like

Disney-
Free Service- most old classic stuff and selected options
Paid Service- New TV Marvel shows and other new shows
DLC New Black Widow Movie- that is only available to buy early with paid service say 17 days after it is release in theaters

It depends on how it is handle for me, Do I mind a longer window added because companies now having a streaming service. Something like

-Opening Movie Theaters
-17 day later Streaming VOD
-3 months later regular VOD
-maybe a year later it drops to regular part of the streaming service.

I can't say that I mind something like that actually encourage going to a theater if you just want see something for a one time viewing for cheap. While giving you an option to shell out a little bit extra to stay at home and watch movie. Yes they are many ways they can go super greedy with this type of thing but framework of it make sense.

[basbash99]

$30 bucks? Three times what it would cost to see the film at the multiplex? Sheeeeeee-it! Disney isn’t going to make many fans with that dickish move.

Man, movie tickets in Philly are pretty cheap. Around here $30 is closer to 2 tickets.

That said, i'm sure the thinking is that families will watch Mulan together so its probably closer to an ordinary ticket price (or less) depending on how many people watch. Because it certainly wouldn't make much sense for an individual to shell out $30 to watch one movie at home.

Guess we'll see how this works out. In the end, if disney and the like can't figure out how to make a profit off big-budget films, why would they keep making them. Sure, shows like Mandalorean have pretty huge budgets but how many of those can they make off streaming service revenue (well, and related merchandising, i suppose).

[RockyHorror]

Man, movie tickets in Philly are pretty cheap. Around here $30 is closer to 2 tickets.

That said, i'm sure the thinking is that families will watch Mulan together so its probably closer to an ordinary ticket price (or less) depending on how many people watch. Because it certainly wouldn't make much sense for an individual to shell out $30 to watch one movie at home.

Guess we'll see how this works out. In the end, if disney and the like can't figure out how to make a profit off big-budget films, why would they keep making them. Sure, shows like Mandalorean have pretty huge budgets but how many of those can they make off streaming service revenue (well, and related merchandising, i suppose).

Agreed this sounds like real good deal given the target demographic of a family movie. $30 fit for tickets, popcorn you make yourself for pennies, and not a dime goes to movie theaters.

This is a model I could definitely see reversing my stance that theaters are not in trouble. I still maintain that people will always want to have the theater experience, but if studios figure out they don't need it to be successful, it won't matter. If theaters die, it will be the studios that decide, not the population.

I still think theaters thriving is the most likely outcome though.

[Gaastra]

So you pay for mulan on plus once and get to keep it. Or wait two month and watch it for free on plus anyway. Also is it like this? You pay every month for plus. Then you pay on top of that for a $30 film. But to watch the film you payed $30 for you have to keep paying each month to get disney plus. Don't pay each month and you lose your movie you payed $30 for. Is that right? So disney pulled a google stadia? (and it bombed.)

The thing is people are not mad that disney is putting mulan vod. (well some are.) They are mad it's on a netflix like app. Yeah prime does this but prime, vudu and google play started out as vod apps first then prime added a netflix like service later. disney plus promoted itself as "pay one price and get it all" netflix like app. Now they are saying "you have to pay to get this when you didn't before". Then if it's a hit soon all new films will start doing this on plus.

Netflix will see it is a hit then say "oh you want to see our new big movie now? Pay up or wait." Then hbo max, then boomerang, then--

Not putting it on vudu and others to not share money makes disney look greedy and backstabes vudu, itunes and others.

It's not that disney is putting mulan on vod but it has no business going on a netflix like service like disney plus to start with.

That's what itunes, vudu, google play, fandango now, movies anywhere, and prime are for!

Still love disney plus but WON'T pay for mulan on it. Sorry disney.

[Kirby101]

I think that $30 Disney+ vod will only be for a short time to coincide with the theatrical release. After a short time (a few weeks or months?) it will be available for general vod for $20.