Going forward, what movies look like and how they are consumed could be very different. The increased cost of on-set safety precautions has been difficult for independent filmmakers. Larger studios tend to have the resources to fund and market their movies and can take bigger financial risks, but independent studios and filmmakers now have the added struggle of finding more funding. At least for the next few years, there will likely be fewer independent films. Customers love having access to new releases from the comfort of their homes.
- And despite my daily grappling with despair, I do see in this dark, chaotic time reasons for great optimism.
- As a freelance writer, Finn hopes to influence others so they can have a positive business experience.
- “The other thing is, a lot of the films have come on to a streaming platform. So you think, well, I can watch it from the comfort of your home. You’re getting a peace of mind so I don’t mind paying £20.
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- The National Association of Theatre Owners of Illinois, which Johnson serves currently as president, estimates there are nearly 2,000 movie screens in the state.
- Its box office revenue had reached $150 million by September 6, 2020, with a modest $20 million in the United States.
Of course, it is possible the recovery is strong and we do see a full ‘return to normal’. Even still, at a post-recovery EPS of $1.50 with a multiple of 15x gives us a share price of $22.50 which is just about its price today. This means that CNK shares appear to have limited fundamental upside even in the best foreseeable outcome. Cinemark may look to buy AMC locations at a discount in case of default, however, I personally do not believe Cinemark has the credit capacity to do so at profitable interest rates.
Scenario 1: More day
One of the top cinemas in the nation, the AMC Empire in New York, reopened on a limited basis over the weekend https://soloseries.tv/julie-bowen-tambien-estara-en-la-sexta-temporada-de-lost after being closed for a year. Studios pushing toward a streaming future remain locked in a battle with theater owners eager for moviegoers to return in droves. All industries change over time, and sometimes extraordinary circumstances force that change to happen more quickly than it would otherwise. They don’t need some guiding hand to get them through disruption and turmoil.
Does Cinema Need To Acknowledge The Pandemic?
Universal’s decision to follow a streaming model even after cinemas reopen has ruffled a few feathers with chains such as AMC, who are now refusing to show the company’s titles in the future. Movie theaters expanding beyond movies doesn’t necessarily mean cinemas are abandoning their roots. The move to diversify a cinema’s offerings can be seen on every level of exhibition today, from expanded concessions menus to the rise of cinema entertainment centers. Movies will continue being the main draw at movie theaters—the tentpoles aren’t going anywhere; this evolution is simply keeping pace with the fragmentation occurring across other media platforms. The line between short-form internet videos, television series, and cinema is blurring—and so are the platforms where audiences are engaging with that content.
Return Of The King
Newer players have financial models that are even further removed, as their core businesses aren’t in production or screening. They have almost bottomless pits of money to support their platforms. The Will Smith movie Bright , for example, had a Netflix budget of US$90 million (A$125 million). Usually, cinemas take two-thirds of the ticket price, so the studio has to make three times the budget just to break even. But because Netflix sells subscriptions, not movie tickets, that imperative is removed. We may never know how successful Bright was for Netflix but it makes content purely to convince us that a subscription is a necessity.
The Pandemic Has Changed Everything, And That Will Be Reflected On Screen
The release generated sales of nearly $100m despite only being released to streaming services. “While firms are more relaxed about allowing mid-budget productions to be released straight to streaming services, the cinema release remains a critical part of the release strategy for the highest profile films,” Peter explains. “Cinema closures which resulted in major box office releases being delayed, diverted or simultaneously released to streaming services during the pandemic, will put further pressure on box office collections,” he said. The pandemic undeniably changed certain aspects of our at-home movie viewing habits — some for the better, and in ways that are poised to last a while. Major studios and theater chains have agreed to permanently reduce the amount of time between when a movie hits theaters and when it reaches streaming platforms.
Cinema companies with their historical market power have demanded an exclusive theater window for films, which stood at about 3 months prior to the pandemic, on average. More often than not, movies were released in streaming and other digital channels outside that window. The COVID-19 pandemic forced indoor-viewing suspensions, Hollywood’s biggest studios delayed their most anticipated titles, and theatrical windows shrank—or disappeared altogether—to accommodate the boom in streaming services. After earning a record $42.3 billion in 2019, the global box office tumbled a whopping 72 percent last year. Seven months into the global health crisis, we’re all more than used to binge-watching our favourite shows and action-packed movies on the small screen via the many streaming services on offer.