Theatrical Future/PVOD Thread

[Nick]

You've named one film that they're clearly regretting?

The BFG? A Wrinkle in Time? The Nutcracker and the Four Realms? Prince of Persia? Alice: Through the Looking Glass?

 

[quinnmac000]

The piracy argument is weak because HBO shows get pirated all the time and are some of the most popular films and remember the first Frozen leaked online before release and then blew up afterwards.

1. A family of 4 spending $20 is way less than $80 to view the exact same movie.

2. If unemployment is at the level it is, how the heck are people going to pay to go to the movies? They got other priorities like mortgages and credit card debt they built up.

3.This argument is moot if the next COVID wave is worse than this one, because those theatres won’t be able to open

 

[JungleSkip]

No, I would go to the theater and see it the way it's meant to be seen. It's been years since i've pirated anything.

I have no idea what your point is then.

Pirates are going to pirate, sure. But currently if you want to watch a new movie that isn't out of focus, has people's heads, poorly cropped and terrible audio, then you need to go to a theatre.

Even so, the *vast* majority of paying audiences are not going to search for a pirated copy of a movie.

 

[Nick]

I have no idea what your point is then.

Well then we're on the same page because I was super confused why you would ask me if I would pirate an Avengers movie when I had just said I go to see pretty much every blockbuster in theaters.

And honestly, I don't know what we're arguing anymore. But we're in disagreement on something and we're never going to agree so we should probably just drop it

 

[Nick]

Here's a well written and evenly thought out column on Trolls 2. It's a more nuanced look at the situation.

Is ‘Trolls: World Tour’ A Hit? Why That’s A Complicated Question

The circumstances behind 'Trolls: World Tour’s PVOD debut contain so many impossible-to-replicate variables that it has only limited value as a barometer for Hollywood’s post-coronavirus future.

www.forbes.com

 

[Legacy]

But currently if you want to watch a new movie that isn't out of focus, has people's heads, poorly cropped and terrible audio, then you need to go to a theatre.

I’ve seen plenty of movies in theater that were just a tinge out of focus with people’s heads in the way.

Never have that risk with VOD.

 

[darkridelover]

That’s one moment in the last 20-30 years, if not longer. And showing it in theaters deprived us of all the “reaction” videos of people watching the scene for the first time (which you know would have been a thing with VOD).

99.9999999999% of movie moments don’t need the theatrical experience.

My thoughts are the same as yours. I'm much more content watching releases at home. I have a projector and a very nice popcorn machine. It's not worth the hassle getting to the theaters and paying ridiculous amounts of money. I would love to have to option of watching a new release at home.

And if AMC wants to act up, I think Comcast should do a hostile take over.

 

[KlownzNskullZ]

Piracy will go up, but I don’t know if it’s going to bankrupt the industry. People pirate because a movie for a family costs like $120 Minus snacks sometimes here in LA if going to arc light or AMC on a Friday night. If it’s only going to be 20$ Per household , more people will just pay the 20$. YES movie theaters should not go out of business and I hope they don’t. But I feel like it’s a premium service to see the movie in that environment. AMC just got butthurt

 

[Cwoolboy]

While I do enjoy a good theatrical experience, that normally only occurs if there is a large, receptive audience or if the theater is close to empty. A memorable theatrical experience does not occur often imo. My favorite recent examples are Midsommar and The Lodge, both were in close to empty theaters. Transformers (2007) might still be my all time fav: the theater was full, and everyone applauded and cheered at the end. These days, it is not uncommon to sit down next to someone who insists on going barefoot. GROSS! As far as PVOD goes, I saw The Hunt that way and wouldn't mind seeing other films this way in the future. It felt cool and special to watch a theatrical film at home.

 

[Nick]

Piracy will go up, but I don’t know if it’s going to bankrupt the industry. People pirate because a movie for a family costs like $120 Minus snacks sometimes here in LA if going to arc light or AMC on a Friday night. If it’s only going to be 20$ Per household , more people will just pay the 20$. YES movie theaters should not go out of business and I hope they don’t. But I feel like it’s a premium service to see the movie in that environment. AMC just got butthurt

AMC didn't get "butthurt"

Shell said they may release movies in theaters and on VOD at the same time going forward. AMC, NATO and later Regal got upset about that because it's been a longstanding policy that theaters won't playing VOD/Streaming movies. Notice that none of the theaters have caved to Netflix due to this basic principle.

Basically, Jeff Shell was saying to AMC and all theaters that we want to hurt your business. The theaters responded by saying "if you try to hurt ours, we'll hurt you back", basically. This is something that is honestly bad for both companies, but admittedly worse for AMC, since they are in a weaker position.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Its funny hearing some thoughts on the situation. From most comments here and on facebook most people think AMC made a mistake...but most youtube commentators think Universal is the screwing up

 

[Nick]

Its funny hearing some thoughts on the situation. From most comments here and on facebook most people think AMC made a mistake...but most youtube commentators think Universal is the screwing up

Grace Randolph had very similar thoughts, as well. She normally has pretty different opinions from Campea so I found that interesting.

I feel like what this is about from Universal's POV is trying to get the GP on their side, which seems to be working for the most part. You have to remember that Universal is owned by Comcast, who also owns Fandango and now Vudu as well. They want nothing to do with the middle man that is the movie theater industry. Comcast takes home 100% of a rental/purchase from 3 different platforms. From their perspective, if they can shift audience habits enough, they would like to be able to eventually not be reliant on theaters at all and instead of taking home 50-60% from a theater, take home greater than 80%.

The movie theaters have no choice but to fight back because if Universal wins public opinion and does manage to change viewing habits, then the theaters will go out of business, plain and simple. This is all posturing from both sides.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Regal Owner Cineworld Also Refuses to Play Universal Movies Amid ‘Trolls World Tour’ Dispute

Cineworld, owner of the Regal Entertainment exhibition chain, is joining AMC Theatres in refusing to play any Universal Pictures films.

variety.com

 

[Nick]

Regal Owner Cineworld Also Refuses to Play Universal Movies Amid ‘Trolls World Tour’ Dispute

Cineworld, owner of the Regal Entertainment exhibition chain, is joining AMC Theatres in refusing to play any Universal Pictures films.

variety.com

Here's the key part - and what all theaters are mad about:

Cineword indicated that its ban on Universal titles applies only to films that are being released earlier than the typical 90-day period: “Today we make it clear again that we will not be showing movies that fail to respect the windows as it does not make any economic sense for us.”

As long as Universal sticks to the 90 day window, then there's no beef. If they go against it, then things will get interesting.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Grace Randolph had very similar thoughts, as well. She normally has pretty different opinions from Campea so I found that interesting.

I feel like what this is about from Universal's POV is trying to get the GP on their side, which seems to be working for the most part. You have to remember that Universal is owned by Comcast, who also owns Fandango and now Vudu as well. They want nothing to do with the middle man that is the movie theater industry. Comcast takes home 100% of a rental/purchase from 3 different platforms. From their perspective, if they can shift audience habits enough, they would like to be able to eventually not be reliant on theaters at all and instead of taking home 50-60% from a theater, take home greater than 80%.

The movie theaters have no choice but to fight back because if Universal wins public opinion and does manage to change viewing habits, then the theaters will go out of business, plain and simple. This is all posturing from both sides.

Saw Graces Video today as well.

I think its going to be an uphill battle for Theaters, I know its not their fault but people hate the prices of movies and hate the prices of popcorn and soda. It was already going to be hard for AMC to recover after the virus and this isn't going to help.
Families for 20 bucks renting a movie is fine, pirates will just pirate said movies they want and many others wont have enough cash to see movies for 15-20 bucks a ticket.

I hope AMC can at least have some theaters left after this but I don't have much faith they will win this fight

 

[Scott W.]

The cinema chains are banding together.

What happens if the studios start to band together.

 

[quinnmac000]

I'm just shocked so many people are on AMC's side despite the fact they are full owned by a Chinese company funded by the CCP.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The cinema chains are banding together.

What happens if the studios start to band together.

Exactly. I imagine Bob Iger sees this and knows some of the Disney remakes could have $60-$70 million opening weekends on VOD instead of the $40-$50 that some are. Or Disney +, etc.

But, I see Bob Iger frankly saying something like Universal did where "both can be able to succeed in some capacity" and that capacity will be decided amongst both theaters and studios and everyone shuts up until things are up and running again.

 

[Nick]

I'm just shocked so many people are on AMC's side

Why are you shocked? The theaters always tell Netflix if they want to play in the major theaters that Netflix needs to agree to the 90-day window. That's all the theaters are asking for here. If you start to cut into their window, then you start to put them out of business. They need to stand up for themselves to keep from that happening.

They've been very consistant on the 90-day window policy.

...despite the fact they are full owned by a Chinese company funded by the CCP.

Wanda only owns 38%. Yes they own the highest %, but they do not own 100%. The second largest owner is Silver Lake Partners at 28%, out of California. And honestly, I don't see why it matters either way.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I'm just shocked so many people are on AMC's side despite the fact they are full owned by a Chinese company funded by the CCP.

I don't think its AMC I think its more movie theaters in general. Like its not really Universal vs AMC (although kinda literally it is) but amongst online discussion its amongst Theatre experience/value vs streaming experience/value.