As the Executive Director of the IIPG, I watch distribution trends and events closely. All independent film makers should. And if you do, I wonder what your thoughts are on this: while theatrical attendance is still less than half what 2019 levels were, and the Thanksgiving bump has already dropped to below pre-Thanksgiving levels, the outlook is not good. However, among the MPA cartel, two players are preferring Spielberg for wide theatricial releases. First, his West Side Story remake with Disney is set for the only major studio theatrical release this Christmas, and second, his The Fabelmans with NBCUni is already set for a wide Thanksgiving 2022 release. I link to Deadline articles about both below.
Given that theatrical is a zero sum game - in other words when one studio takes up screens, those screens - and thus the revenue and marketing effect are denied to others - what does this say about the actual outlook for cinema coming back? And about independent producer's access to the theatrical market which has effectively been entirely blocked in the last year? Thoughts?
https://deadline.com/2021/12/disney-hopes-for-long-holiday-dance-with-st...
https://deadline.com/2021/12/steven-spielbergs-the-fabelmans-based-on-fi...
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Not sure. When are you "pro" enough to have an opinion? Ask me, both Spielburg films are going to flop. The only movie that is gainig some heat and PROBABLY is going to do well is the new Matrix movie. About cinema. Is it dead. Who can ever know in these times?!
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The pandemic has skewed the movie-going experience so much. Boxoffice receipts can't be the only measure of success.
Rutger Oosterhoff "Pro" enough I suppose depends on what you are giving and opinion on. But I think you might be right, and it's in line with what has been experiencing success at the box office versus what has not, since people have started returning to theatres.
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The pandemic is forcing a change in traditional distribution, whether the industry likes it or not. Like Martin Reese says, a film's success can't just be about the box office, especially when viewing habits have seemingly permanently changed. I'd put my stock in streaming options first or in conjunction. I love and miss the movie theaters, however, even though they are open, I just can't brave myself to go yet. Meanwhile, I have so much access to great content from my living room couch, and if I want to rent a movie, there is Cineplex or YouTube (but not for freaking $30 -- I will wait for it to stream or get to $4.99).
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PEOPLE DON'T GO TO THE THEATERS because these films suck and Studios are desperately making simple money grabs for a limited audience to meet their yearly quota. Studios have to release a certain number of films per year. Actually "West Side Story" shouldn't ever have been made. This generation is not about musicals. "Matrix" didn't even want to spend money on Marketing nor release Worldwide in Theaters because they knew it wouldn't perform well. And Marvel, well it's just another Marvel movie. I guarantee you "Matrix" fans are going to be sadly disappointed unless you have closed mind and truly don't love original creative films. Look at the recasting of Agent Smith. I loved the first one but it kept doing the same thing over and over again. It''s about entertaining an Audience. And these new Actors are too much like "Twilight", Unbelievable, over-rated and unrelatable. Trust me, the majority don't relate. It's like coming out with a new hot dish, then they serve it to you over and over again just with a new seasoning. "GET THAT CORN OUTTA MY FACE!" Bland and boring. And to be Pro means you have to be an inside player already in the game. We are all just spectators until you have a hit or know somebody.
The first Matrix film was great. The rest suckt. But I really thought (even after seeing all trailers) I had to see the new Matrix movie. But right now -- one week after my last post on this subject -- it's complicated with Omicron spreading rapidly in the USA and the rest of the world.
Rutger Oosterhoff "omicron" is literally a nothing - the S.A. doctor who identified it found it in a newborn with a sniffle (literally). Also, it is "worldwide" but WHO reports... no deaths... world wide. https://yournews.com/2021/12/10/2264973/who-no-deaths-reported-as-a-resu... A fact not reported in mainstream news here in the USA, but available on the WHO site itself.
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If that is true, good news!!
A key issue with omicron (which will likely continue to impact theater attendance globally well into 2022) is transmission rate. Even though it may cause less severe illness in most people than the delta variant, it’s ability to infect people appears much greater. Many of them will seek care and some will need critical care. The result is a capacity crisis for already-stretched health care systems.
Dane Johnson Unfortunately, media and government continue to conflate political issues with medical issues, using the word 'science' to back them up as if they know what it means. Much of that is intentional and has nothing to do with health. There is no medical issue with a virus which does you no harm, which is what SARS-coV-2 (covid 19) has now evolved into (following the inevitable and normal evolution of a coronavirus). There are political, constitutional and human rights issues with past and continuing lockdowns and attempts to force "vaccination" with an mRNA drug that has no further utility and may never actually have been effective (as stats are finally emerging). The fallout and reaction is just starting, with CDC about to prohibit use of J&J vax for the number of serious and fatal reactions... FBI confirming to Congress that Fauci lied to them under oath... FDA alleging it will take literally 55 years to go through documents relating the Pfizer mRNA drug which it already approved apparently without going through them... and much more. However, comparing the political environment in other countries to here - I am glad I am here. it's crazy out there.