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A year of chaotic movie releases has left the future of cinemas uncertain. But as theaters reopen, the hybrid releases that studios have so warmly welcomed amid COVID-19 must now respond seriously to movie theater owners and the talent attached to high-stakes films.
During this week’s CinemaCon, the annual convention of the National Association of Theater Owners, prominent figures in the film and exhibition industry berated simultaneous release models and insisted that the theaters and exclusive windows would survive after being clubbed during the pandemic. Speaking at this week’s event in Las Vegas, NATO boss John Fithian said the exclusive theatrical release windows “remain vital to the survival and success of the theatrical experience.” , according to Variety.
“What the future holds is for our members and distributors to decide, but let’s be clear about one thing: simultaneous release doesn’t work for anyone,” Fithian said, according to the publication. He added that the exclusive theatrical releases are “essential” to the resumption of both theaters and the great cinematic ecosystem as a whole.
AMC boss Adam Aron said at the event that the only way to fight “massive piracy” was to distribute the films to theaters first, according to Deadline. Sony Pictures Motion Picture chairman Josh Greenstein was cited by the outlet as pledging to first distribute Sony films exclusively to theaters, adding that theaters “and the theatrical experience will triumph.”
“Starting films simultaneously in theaters and at home is devastating to our collective endeavor,” said Greenstein.
While it might come as no surprise that a theatrical-centric convention garners so much support for theatrical exclusivity, the comments come at a pivotal time for the theater industry. As lockdown orders are lifted and vaccinations allow moviegoers to return to theaters, studios have started renegotiating contracts for exclusive movie windows, albeit much shorter than the 90-day exclusivity period. that cinemas often had before the pandemic. It follows a dramatic standoff between theaters in the early days of COVID-19, with AMC – the nation’s largest distributor – at one point threatening to ban Universal films from its screens.
But studios that streamed their movies directly have also had to respond not only to movie theater owners, but frustrated talent and directors as well. Most recently, Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over the day and date release of her Marvel movie. Black Widow, the actress claiming her hybrid release cost her millions in box office bonuses.
Denis Villeneuve, director of one of the most anticipated titles of the year, Dune, wrote an open letter last year lambasting WarnerMedia’s decision to make its 2021 movie slate available on HBO Max the same day the films premiered in theaters. WarnerMedia would also have supported the potential losses associated with the hybrid release of Godzilla vs. Kong with Legendary, which funded the majority of the film.
Theaters are even worse after the pandemic in terms of theatrical exclusivity, with windows in many cases reduced to just 45 days or less. Netflix, the biggest player in streaming gaming right now, still bypasses the big operators by showing its movies on its service. And Disney’s commitment to theatrical releases is unclear, with Disney boss Bob Chapek saying earlier this month that “distribution decisions are made on a film-by-film basis.” Warner Bros. will still produce movies that head straight for HBO Max, even if it returns its movies to theaters with exclusive cinema windows. So, while theaters are back and critics of hybrid releases are stronger than ever, the threat to cinema remains – for now.
According to Variety, Fithian praised the support for theatrical exclusivity in Hollywood at this week’s event.
“I applaud the artists who refuse to accept the false narrative that movie theaters are a thing of the past and that the future will be one where every movie is consumed at home,” Fithian said, according to the outlet. “These top creators know best, and they’re on the right side of the story.”
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