Will COVID-19 end theatrical movies

[Joker]

It's like saying a pizzeria is about to go belly under if you ignore pizza sales and only focus on the bread sticks and salads side of the business.

Everyone knows that where they really make their money!

[Vakanai]

Everyone knows that where they really make their money!

Maybe in Hollywood.

[MyriVerse]

Non-blockbusters, do you know how many billion dollar blockbusters there were every year? Never mind the still highly profitable non-billion dollar ones. Why would you bother talking about the non-blockbusters as if that's relevant to the health of theaters? Blockbusters were keeping them plenty busy and plenty healthy until covid.

It's like saying a pizzeria is about to go belly under if you ignore pizza sales and only focus on the bread sticks and salads side of the business.

Everyone knows that where they really make their money!

Blame Olive Garden! They're giving away the damned bread sticks!

[WebLurker]

Blame Olive Garden! They're giving away the damned bread sticks!

But we love them for those breadsticks!

[A Small Talent For War]

One element is the potential for people to go out even more after Covid 19 vaccine is found. A boom in demand could actually mean that the lockdowns actually improved business for the theaters that remained. It is really impossible to predict the long term effects of something like this, but there will be a lot of pressure to get people going out and spending more to get the economy rolling.

[Powerboy]

One element is the potential for people to go out even more after Covid 19 vaccine is found. A boom in demand could actually mean that the lockdowns actually improved business for the theaters that remained. It is really impossible to predict the long term effects of something like this, but there will be a lot of pressure to get people going out and spending more to get the economy rolling.

Oh, once there is a vaccine, I suspect that there will be an explosion of business in theaters (and restaurants) that are still standing. The question is one of how many theaters can survive that long.

[Joker]

Assuming the hoi polli have the disposable income to go to the already expensive movies, and cinema doesn't shift to a bourgeoisie affair.

[Scott Taylor]

I have always loved the theater experience. When it was more affordable, I use to go to the theater at least 3-4 times per month. That being said, I've come to prefer the at-home experience for a number of reasons:

- Food and drink at home are far more affordable at home.
- I can pause the film if I need to use the bathroom.
- If I'm patient, the actual cost of viewing the film is cheaper than going to the theater.
- No dealing with people who won't shut up or are constantly on their phones.

In my opinion, COVID merely accelerated a shift that was coming anyway.

Agree with all of these points, and at times have found myself sitting in a theatre questioning why I put up with all of this crap. But there is something unique about watching a movie with some couple of hundred people you never met. All watching and reacting at the same time. Can't get that at home. Plus the big screen, bigger than life, it very special. I still have fond memories of Scarlett Johansen's 25-foot tall, leather-clad ass from the first Avengers movie.

[Gaastra]

https://deadline.com/2020/10/disney-...el-1234596028/

[Vakanai]

Assuming the hoi polli have the disposable income to go to the already expensive movies, and cinema doesn't shift to a bourgeoisie affair.

...are you trying to say that you have to be rich to go to the theater?

[regnak]

...are you trying to say that you have to be rich to go to the theater?

If he is he is doing it wrong bourgeois means middle class which is the majority of the population.

[basbash99]

...are you trying to say that you have to be rich to go to the theater?

I think its more that the economy could go further into recession or depression. No COVID relief bill passing thru the Senate, millions who remain unemployed since the spring, millions on the verge of being evicted, Businesses continuing to go under left and right.. all of which has ripple effects. Going to movies may become an unaffordable luxury for many.

[Joker]

If he is he is doing it wrong bourgeois means middle class which is the majority of the population.

I should have said proletariate instead of hoi polli so you knew what I meant. I'm using the Marxist definition. In that context the Bourgeois are the affluent, while the proletariat are the poor working class.

And yes, my point was the economy is still probably going to **** itself pretty hard and movies are already a luxury.

[Deathstroke]

Apparently AMC announced today that they will be out of cash by the end of the year or early in 2021. Article Link

[Vakanai]

Theaters and the theater experience will survive. People love seeing MCU/Jurassic Park-World/Star Wars/etc on the big screen. A future without theaters is just silly.
But the real question is, whenever we finally get back to normal, what company or whoever is going to snap up all these theaters and theater chains that didn't survive? If AMC does run out of cash, who's going to take over from them? Who are the future players in this business?

That's a real and legitimate question. The belief that everyone is going to go to streaming and theaters will go the way of the dodo I just can't take seriously. But many theaters will be out of business (many already are), so who will buy that property up when theaters can make a profit again?

Anyone have any ideas? I could see a big studio like Disney buying up a chain on the cheap.