Seven-year-old Neon emerged as a mainstay in the hardscrabble domestic theatrical distribution business, where most new entrants fail or shrink to irrelevancy within a few years. Highlights of its short history include 2020 Oscar Best Picture winner “Parasite,” the Korean-language import; and also sassy ice skater drama “I, Tonya.” And this year, there's the sleeper horror … [Read more...] about Neon Stakes Out Distribution Turf
economics
Hard Times Grip Cinema
Hard times have hit the cinema business as the Bronx region with 1.4 million residents lost one of its two multiplexes; Walt Disney Studios' once-dependable comic book adaptations are sputtering; and Paramount Pictures struggles to sell itself. While recent developments are mostly unfavorable, Sony Pictures Entertainment agreed to buy movie-and-a-meal Alamo Drafthouse … [Read more...] about Hard Times Grip Cinema
Strikes Derail Film Marketing, Cinema Comeback
The Hollywood strikes by actors and writers undercut movie publicity for new releases — since talent ordinarily publicize their films — and more ominously threaten to push back normal film flow already upended by the pandemic. The actors SAG-AFTRA work stoppage started July 14, which augments the May 2 beginning of the Writers Guild of America walkout. The strikes impact … [Read more...] about Strikes Derail Film Marketing, Cinema Comeback
Labor Strife Crimps Film Marketing
The strike by Hollywood screenwriters might seem distant to film marketing, which focuses on release-ready films, but labor turmoil is taking a toll on cinema premieres. Myriad secondary impacts from Hollywood labor strife are crimping movie marketing: * Uncertainty that film talent will do publicity for finished films. * Awards events are under boycott threat. * TV … [Read more...] about Labor Strife Crimps Film Marketing
Discounting Fever Engulfs Film Biz
With recession fears looming, price cuts are beginning to pop up across the movie landscape at video streamers, while being considered by theaters. In some cases, these take the form of bundling multiple streaming services or offering a cheaper advertising-supported streaming service, as Netflix and AMC+ have done recently. NBCUniversal’s mainstream video streamer Peacock … [Read more...] about Discounting Fever Engulfs Film Biz
Exploring Cinema Ticket Price Cuts
Hollywood and movie theater owners spontaneously embraced the benefits of permanent cuts in cinema-ticket prices industry-wide, despite worries about antitrust issues, at a CinemaCon panel discussion. Whether the industry later pursues shaving ticket prices, which averaged $10.53 in the U.S. last year (see accompanying data table), remains to be seen. Anecdotal information … [Read more...] about Exploring Cinema Ticket Price Cuts
Hollywood Suddenly Loves Cinema More Than Streaming
Across Hollywood, studio executives are suddenly singing the praises of full exclusive cinema runs for movies, and dialing back their infatuation with video streaming. A Variety story by Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin calls it a case of “Netflix envy" fading. "Lately, Wall Street has soured on the economics of streaming, believing that the media conglomerates that run these … [Read more...] about Hollywood Suddenly Loves Cinema More Than Streaming
Streamers Apple, Amazon Swing to Cinema
Apple TV+ is reportedly joining Amazon Studios in separately investing billions of dollars in movies tailored for cinema premieres. “It may have been implausible a few years, heck, even a few months ago, that tech giants like Apple and Amazon would spend billions on theatrical movies,” writes Rebecca Rubin in Variety. Bloomberg News Service reported Apple will spend $1 … [Read more...] about Streamers Apple, Amazon Swing to Cinema
Even ‘Avatar 2’ Can’t Fix China Doldrums
There’s little chance for a return to past highs for Hollywood in the China cinema market, which is the world’s second largest overall. And it’s not just because of pandemic. While “Avatar: The Way of Water” is a blockbuster, Chinese regulators reduced theatrical distribution slots for foreign imports — meaning Hollywood films — that in years past bulked up overall cinema … [Read more...] about Even ‘Avatar 2’ Can’t Fix China Doldrums
Wall Street Bullish on Cinema
Wall Street is always a forward indicator — its job is to anticipate — and the cinema recovery gets a thumbs up from stock analysts. Giant brokerage Morgan Stanley issued an upbeat report on Cinemark Holdings, which is the third ranked U.S. movie-theater chain, and that optimism is broadly spreading that cinema will not only survive but thrive. The praise is significant … [Read more...] about Wall Street Bullish on Cinema