But there are good reasons why studios won’t just release these big-budget movies in digital form, even with a captive audience trapped at home, clamoring for content.
(Warner Bros., which produced “Tenet,” is a unit of AT&T, which also owns CNN.)
And digital, while arguably the future, is still not bringing in the kind of money that a giant movie release still can.
However, it is about more than money. There are cultural and industrial ramifications that come with placing a movie like “Mulan” or “Tenet” on a Disney + or HBO Max. It sets a precedent that affects the end result of a study and could forever change the way we go to the movies.
The financial
“Mulan,” which tells the story of a legendary fighter from ancient China, was a billion dollar hit before the coronavirus. With its international cast and its history focused on China, much of that was expected to be due to the Chinese public.
There is no Disney + in China. Putting “Mulan” in digital format would be wasting the potential (and the profits!) That the film could have worldwide.
That’s why delaying the film over and over, at least for now, still makes more sense from the point of view of dollars and cents, even if it frustrates the millions of parents trapped at home crying out for ways to entertain their children. .
“Trolls World Tour”, however, is a completely different consideration. According to Universal, Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at Boxoffice.com, it made more sense for Universal to put the film in homes because it provided a low-risk opportunity to experiment with a home launch in “a vacuum of competition.”
“From a historical perspective, most of the animated sequels outside the premier franchises have been prone to the diminishing returns law,” said Robbins. “‘Trolls World Tour’ may have turned out to be a relative success as a theatrical release, but the first film did not generate the kind of box office earnings expected of a major international player like ‘Mulan.'”
But some of you may be saying, “Well, Disney skipped theaters and released ‘Hamilton’ on Disney +, and that was a big problem.”
“Hamilton,” which Disney reportedly bought the rights for $ 75 million, is a Broadway show about America’s founding fathers, so who knows if there would have been a massive demand for audiences outside the United States.
In the end, it was worth the financial risk for Universal to launch “World Tour” and for Disney to launch “Hamilton” at home. But a movie like “Mulan?” That runs the risk of leaving too much money on the table.
If digital is the financial hit theaters are still making, audiences are likely to see “F9,” the next “Fast & Furious” movie, at home right now and not in theaters next April.
The symbolic
Beyond money, the symbolic half of this equation is also key.
Studios may refuse to release big movies at home because that would empower audiences to expect it to go ahead. And if that happens, good luck for viewers to return to theaters after Covid.
It is also about maintaining relationships. For example, “Tenet” would undoubtedly do well digitally thanks to the recognition of its director’s name. However, Nolan firmly believes in the theatrical experience, and it is doubtful that he allows his films to be released anywhere other than on the big screen.
Therefore, it may not be worth the risk of studies throwing the baby in the bath water when it comes to digital and streaming for now. However, as theater closings extend into fall and possibly winter, it wouldn’t be shocking if a studio decided to be the first to release a great movie at home.
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