Theatrical Future/PVOD Thread

[quinnmac000]

Study Shows 70% of Consumers Would Rather Watch New Movies at Home (EXCLUSIVE)

According to an exclusive new study, anxiety over health and safety in public spaces still greatly outweighs the desire to leave home.

variety.com

 

[Nick]

Study Shows 70% of Consumers Would Rather Watch New Movies at Home (EXCLUSIVE)

According to an exclusive new study, anxiety over health and safety in public spaces still greatly outweighs the desire to leave home.

variety.com

Of course they would. Netflix has changed the game in that respect and really made people expect the entertainment to come to them.

The reality of the situation is studios still make more money in theaters on big budget movies. A movie like Trolls 2 can probably do just as well on PVOD as in theaters, if not better. But again, Endgame doesn't make 2.79 Billion dollars by putting it on PVOD. It just doesn't.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I just want Netflix and Prime to become a hub for Indie films. They have the $ to do it, the audience is there to stream it, the majority of films I see in a theatre are indie but they’re not technically “theatre essential”, I’d love it if A24/Neon type films had a major future on Netflix and Amazon. Don’t want the studios to die but being realistic with expectations

 

[Nick]

I just want Netflix and Prime to become a hub for Indie films. They have the $ to do it, the audience is there to stream it, the majority of films I see in a theatre are indie but they’re not technically “theatre essential”, I’d love it if A24/Neon type films had a major future on Netflix and Amazon. Don’t want the studios to die but being realistic with expectations

Netflix is $15B in debt. They don't have the money to do it, what they have is the subscriber base, which is what they sell to their share holders to excuse the debt the keep accumulating. I could definitely see Amazon buying a small studio like A24, though.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Netflix is $15B in debt. They don't have the money to do it, what they have is the subscriber base, which is what they sell to their share holders to excuse the debt the keep accumulating. I could definitely see Amazon buying a small studio like A24, though.

I hate the idea of Amazon buying A24 (as a Bernie suppporter it legit pains me lol) but I can see our future climate. Having these films come out all year long in this way would be so ideal. I’d only need to go to the cinema for Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Jurassic World type event films

 

[OLSinFLA]

Study Shows 70% of Consumers Would Rather Watch New Movies at Home (EXCLUSIVE)

According to an exclusive new study, anxiety over health and safety in public spaces still greatly outweighs the desire to leave home.

variety.com

The big thing there is <at the same price>. Now, if you're a family of 4, sure $20 is a deal. But outside of big cities, you can still get tickets at certain times for $6 or $7 a person. (And it is doubtful it would stay at $20 - SCOOB! isn't doing nearly was well).

 

[OLSinFLA]

I just want Netflix and Prime to become a hub for Indie films. They have the $ to do it, the audience is there to stream it, the majority of films I see in a theatre are indie but they’re not technically “theatre essential”, I’d love it if A24/Neon type films had a major future on Netflix and Amazon. Don’t want the studios to die but being realistic with expectations

THEATERS might die (or be very few) but Studios will be fine. They're the people who make the product.

 

[Disneyhead]

People that listen to rock or metal music aren't "evil".

Jury is still out on "Country" though.

 

[awhen]

(And it is doubtful it would stay at $20 - SCOOB! isn't doing nearly was well).

I think I would need to be paid $20 to watch that, not vice versa.

 

[Nick]

That's the thing about the $20 PVOD rental. It works for some but not all.

1.) The movie needs to be worth it (which by all accounts Scoob isn't) and

2.) I'd need a group to watch any of these movies and make it cheaper than a movie for me (and with social distancing, watching with a group is out right now). As i've said, I can pay as cheap as $5 at the Universal Cinemark to see movies once they're open again, and in paying that, i'm getting a larger screen, better sound system and better overall experience.

To simplify what i'm saying, a $20 rental isa great deal for a family, but if you're by yourself, it's a poor deal, so i'd still rather go to a theater.

 

[awhen]

To simplify what i'm saying, a $20 rental isa great deal for a family, but if you're by yourself, it's a poor deal, so i'd still rather go to a theater.

Almost as if the market should dictate how content is distributed. For markets to work, there has to be choices. The window that theaters enjoy is going to go the way of the $90 rental pricing VHS, sooner or later is anyone’s guess.

As to making the tentpole strategy untenable, you can bet that studios are re-examining that strategy while waiting to see what happens when theaters reopen.

 

[Nick]

Almost as if the market should dictate how content is distributed. For markets to work, there has to be choices. The window that theaters enjoy is going to go the way of the $90 rental pricing VHS, sooner or later is anyone’s guess.

As to making the tentpole strategy untenable, you can bet that studios are re-examining that strategy while waiting to see what happens when theaters reopen.

I agree there should be choices and that movies like Trolls and Scoob can do well at home. I just won't be seeing them like I otherwise may have in theaters.

And i'm sure studios are re-examining, but I just don't see a way where a film makes billions or even somewhere in the $700-800M range on PVOD.

 

[awhen]

And i'm sure studios are re-examining, but I just don't see a way where a film makes billions or even somewhere in the $700-800M range on PVOD.

That would be the point of the re-examination.

It may be we have seen the last movie to gross billions of dollars for a while.

And if I might speculate, a return to a bit more quantity at more moderate budgets might not be a bad thing (for the major studios).

 

[Nick]

That would be the point of the re-examination.

It may be we have seen the last movie to gross billions of dollars for a while.

And if I might speculate, a return to a bit more quantity at more moderate budgets might not be a bad thing (for the major studios).

Agreed, I think we probably have seen the last movie to gross billions for awhile, simply for the fact that people are going to be reluctant to return to theaters at first. Although when Tenet and Mulan open (if they do), they'll have entire multiplexes to themselves. Every screen devoted to Tentet on it's opening weekend, making social distancing easy.

And I don't disagree that returning to moderate budget films could be a good thing. Hollywood, especially Disney, has gotten out of control with what they are spending on movies and what their slates have become where every other movie is a tentpole film.

 

[deadbydawn]

The entire AMC/Universal argument was a rollercoaster. Especially once NATO got involved.

Initially, I was on Universal's side. It makes sense to me that studios would want to try this VOD model for as long as it makes them money. The Trolls 2: Electric Boogaloo situation was unique in the sense that they had deals already in place with toy manufacturers and had already sunk money into the marketing. However I think that the only reason the numbers were so great for that specific film is obviously because a lot of people are at home with their kids.

After some time looking into it I saw someone else's perspective that changed my mind. AMC needed to put their foot down in the way they did if only to send a message to other studios. By them allowing Universal to continue with the VOD format after this is all said and done with no "repercussions" could set a precedent that might hurt the already hurting theater chain.

There is no doubt in my mind that this will be smoothed over and Universal will come back release films in their theaters again, whenever that ends up happening. It's of course way too difficult to say what the future will look like once some sense of normalcy returns. I think if studios continue to try this VOD model after, they may see that the numbers just aren't there and go back to the original model.

Sidenote: I know there was some rumors about Amazon looking to purchasing AMC Theaters. Not sure if anyone else saw the Deadline article that mentioned it could been misreported, meaning Amazon may have been looking at the AMC television network instead. The rollercoaster continues.

 

[darkridelover]

To simplify what i'm saying, a $20 rental isa great deal for a family, but if you're by yourself, it's a poor deal, so i'd still rather go to a theater.

I would gladly pay $20 to watch a new release at home by myself, without having to waste gas, deal with people, and pay ridiculous prices for food. Big Cineplexes are on borrowed time. They will have the same fate as indoor malls. Many within the next decade. Out the ashes we will see a rise in Movie House's that offer comfort and unique experiences instead of mass cattle call viewings.

 

[quinnmac000]

Survey: What does the film industry think is the future of exhibition?

Change in the film industry is often an extremely gradual process.

stephenfollows.com

it seems only exhibitors mainly thought universal was in the wrong

 

[Nick]

Survey: What does the film industry think is the future of exhibition?

Change in the film industry is often an extremely gradual process.

stephenfollows.com

it seems only exhibitors mainly thought universal was in the wrong

Maybe because Universal was threatening the theatrical model? We’ve been over this.

 

[rageofthegods]

“Unaffordable” 90-Day Theatrical Window Is History As Leverage Tilts Towards Studios Post-Pandemic – Analyst

"Unaffordable" 90-Day Window Is History, Says Analyst, Post-Pandemic Landscape Titles Leverage To Studios

deadline.com

Looks like the other major studios are starting to tilt towards shorter windows.

 

[Nick]

Notice that it's been about 3-weeks and WB hasn't reported ANY numbers for SCOOB! yet. Universal was bragging after 3 days. So either the movie just didn't do that well, or they are keeping silent in order to not piss off the theaters and then quietly announce numbers at a shareholder meeting.

It's all a big game of chess at this point between the studios and exhibitors...