MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Is this the end of Blockbuster movies?

Is this the end of Blockbuster movies?

posted 4 years ago by Otter (24464)
14 replies | jump to latest

Sure, the theaters might start officially re-opening soon, but the fact is the virus won't have gone away and people will be well-advised to keep the social distancing up, and avoid crowds. This is going to be murder on the movie theaters, which were on the edge of universal unprofitability before this.

So... is it going to be possible to open great big movies that cost hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide in the years to come? Is there any way that opening movies on streaming can bring in the same kind of money as a worldwide mass opening, the kind where a hit film will bring in a billion dollars in the first few weekends?

Well, good thing Marvel wrapped up their main cycle of films already, that's my opinion.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Only if we’re lucky.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

Marry me💐

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

😉

[–] beavis (3249) 4 years ago

For a second there I was like, I'm pretty sure blockbuster movie rentals is dead already

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

Perhaps I should have said "tentpole".

But I'm interested in whether "Avatar 2-5" will ever get made, those are supposed to be the next big insanely expensive CGI-laden franchise, now that Marvel is cooling off.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Lol they already had a thread on that. Really.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

young people will go. i bet if they opened the theaters tomorrow they would be full of young people.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

In my state, Calufornia, our governor just said that "large gatherings" are probably going to be banned through the summer. Which is a great public health measure, but that's going to be murder on anything tg had needs an audience. How many movie theaters, or performing arts companies, can stay shut for six months and survive?

As for the young people, you arent taking helicopter parents into account.

[–] dmac8 (5050) 4 years ago

nah. it's more likely that those will be the only ones that survive.

it's the smaller films, with less broad appeal, that will be screwed. people don't show up in numbers for those as it is. the tentpoles will be the only films that will get people out of their homes.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

Ah, but the smaller films are the ones that are more likely to make their budgets back on home viewing!

Because that looks like it'll be the trend over the next couple of years, people may have to avoid movie theaters or avoid them out of common sense, a significant number of theaters will go out of business, and the movie industry will have to look at how much money can be made from streaming releases. Probably not a billion dollars in the first weekend or two, which is what it takes to pay for a big Marvel-type film.

[–] dmac8 (5050) 4 years ago

I don't think so. I think the same principles will apply. What do most want to watch? Yes, the virus is a big wet blanket on everything -- but the big burners are most likely to endure. I think they'll crowd out the smaller stuff. Rather than spending less on the tentpoles, they'll drop the smaller stuff and focus on the best bets. But I agree about the streaming opportunity. They have a chance to step into the void here and be the place or co-place for the big release.

[–] Otter (24464) 4 years ago

Well they've already tried releasing movies meant for theaters onto streaming, someone could look up how much money has been made or lost that way if they had nothing better to do. It won't be me, I've got to work tonight, I'm "essential"!

So, are the streaming releases making money? Are they making more or less money projected from the theatrical release? Have any of them made BIG money? Because if the answer to the last question is "no", then believe me Hollywood is going to put back or cancel any hugely expensive projects.

[–] dmac8 (5050) 4 years ago

It's a different model with different measures. But if people aren't going to theaters as much, the streaming services might strike different deals than they could otherwise.

[–] Sarmoviefan26 (1368) 4 years ago

I didn’t think of that possibility, at first I thought once this pandemic is over people will run to the theaters again to feel like we are back normal again. That this awful period is over.

But thinking better with your thread maybe this pandemic just changed the movie trend again and now more mid budget films will be a thing again like Romantic comedies, or the biggest budget will be something like the first Iron Man.

That was the trend of the 90s no really indie movies but neither huge blockbusters, there were some but it wasn’t the norm.

So in a few words: I think very possible to go back to the 90s trends and mmmm I thinking of the rebirth Of Romantic Comedies