Will COVID-19 end theatrical movies

[luprki]

Nolan pushed for the theatrical release of TENET, he and WB executives are looking pretty silly now. I guess they didn’t know there’s a deadly virus going around.

[kingaliencracker]

Exactly. The studio had to know there was no way they could even make their money back, not with half the theaters in the world closed right now.

WB seems to be a little more passive with regards to the virus than other studios. But Nolan pressured them both privately and publicly to release Tenet theatrically as soon as possible, and it wound up biting them big time. I would be shocked if any tent pole movie is released again in theaters without a vaccine.

[kingaliencracker]

I also want to point out that theaters being closed isn't the only issue. People have lost their jobs and livelihoods during the pandemic and don't have the disposable income to go see a movie.

[Joker]

Theaters closed. People out of work. People don't want to risk getting covid for a movie. The theaters that are open are at a massively reduced capacity. There's lots of reasons this performed the way it did.

The studio had to know it wasn't going to go well. And if they thought otherwise, then I don't know what to say.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Theaters closed. People out of work. People don't want to risk getting covid for a movie. The theaters that are open are at a massively reduced capacity. There's lots of reasons this performed the way it did.

The studio had to know it wasn't going to go well. And if they thought otherwise, then I don't know what to say.

The studios probably knew, but went ahead with the release anyway, if not to placate Nolan, then the slim chance a film he helmed could lure moviegoers back. Unfortunately, that hunch proved to have been dead wrong.

[Joker]

I just really struggle with the idea that people were going to pack in to theaters in what would be potentially very dangerous/risky numbers being a thing anyone was pulling for at this point.

I know this movie cost 800 million to make, and you just have to do some basic math to figure you're not making that back quickly. So instead you go on a terrible PR tour insisting that this movie can only be seen on the big screen to appreciate it. And I won't argue that it increases the enjoyment factor. Interstellar on a real Imax screen was something I'll only see once, and it was amazing. Every time I watch that movie, I think about that experience. So I get that.

But boy is this not the time to die on that hill. Shelve the damn movie! Nolan doesn't crank out movies. We can wait another year to see it. It's an original stand alone film. This isn't the highly anticipated sequel to anything.

You also decide it can't play at Drive-Ins unless indoor theaters are also open in that city? **** off. That part burned any good will I had left at this point. Now I don't even care about seeing it at any point. (I will, at some point, but I don't care.)

[XPac]

The studios probably knew, but went ahead with the release anyway, if not to placate Nolan, then the slim chance a film he helmed could lure moviegoers back. Unfortunately, that hunch proved to have been dead wrong.

Not that I'm defending it, but I'm sure at least one of the movie studios felt they had to TRY just to see if moviegoers might actually return if there was potentially something worth seeing. Because even if common sense tells you that it's not worth going to the movie theater, there's always a chance people will go anyways. Now they know.

[Joker]

In fairness, that people even went to see New Mutants would maybe suggest that people were super down if there was a good movie worth actually seeing.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Not that I'm defending it, but I'm sure at least one of the movie studios felt they had to TRY just to see if moviegoers might actually return if there was potentially something worth seeing. Because even if common sense tells you that it's not worth going to the movie theater, there's always a chance people will go anyways. Now they know.

Yes they do. I guess Tenet could be viewed as a guinea pig to determine if moviegoers were truly ready to return to the multiplex in droves like before the pandemic. Looks like they weren't.

[luprki]

Wonder Woman pushed back to Christmas Day, probably won’t happen.

[Powerboy]

Wonder Woman pushed back to Christmas Day, probably won’t happen.

WW was at a local theater and then they pulled it.

[Ramsay Snow]

I just found out my favorite movie theater in Dallas, LOOK Cinemas, permanently closed down in July.....They refused to re-open in May, when Gov Abbott allowed theaters to re-open in Texas, and decided in July to close down.

Hopefully they'll come back after the pandemic's over. They were a pretty good theater. Never too crowded, had good food available from their connected restaurant (Which also closed down) to eat while watching a film, etc....

[Maestro 216]

In fairness, that people even went to see New Mutants would maybe suggest that people were super down if there was a good movie worth actually seeing.

That movie was done before arrival with the delayed to hell schedule

[Holt]

Candyman is the latest movie to be delayed to 2021.

[RockyHorror]

Candyman is the latest movie to be delayed to 2021.

When you've lost Candyman...