Nothing will compare to the big screen experience of watching a movie during its premiere night and the fragrant smell of buttery popcorn in a packed theater.
As nice as those memories are, the last thing I want to do during the pandemic is be surrounded by people in tight rows of seats while munching on overpriced snacks.
The communal aspect of watching a movie is comforting, however it’s not logical to limit movie premieres to theaters right now.
It would be nice to assume people can follow directions and have their masks on properly while following strict sanitary rules, but the odds of that happening are slim.
Instead, streaming services have greatly improved the void of new movie releases from the comfort of your own couch.
This isn’t the first pandemic theaters have faced and it’s likely they’ll survive in a post-pandemic world.
No one asks if dine-in services will cease to exist simply because it’s not currently an option.
Theaters have endured the 17th-century bubonic plague and the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak, according to a September. 2020 New York Times article.
It’s likely theaters will survive yet another pandemic because of its beloved social appeal.
According to a December 2020 Variety article, Warner Bros. announced it would simultaneously release films in theaters wherever permitted and on HBO Max throughout 2021.
The production company did this with “Wonder Woman 1984,” which was released Christmas Day on HBO Max and was available in some theaters.
The film made $5.5 million domestically and $118 million globally, according to a Jan. 3 Variety article.
Movies can still generate money through subscription-based releases, although it’s difficult to determine monetary success through these platforms, according to a June 4 CNBC article.
But the performance of subscription-based film releases won’t be as transparent as box office comparisons.
Considering other large production companies don’t have a streaming service to release films, it is likely they’ll probably continue to backtrack release dates.
More studios should skip the theater and go directly to consumers via streaming services to accommodate the pandemic.
You even have the advantage of eating whatever you please from your couch instead of paying for overpriced theater concessions.
I enjoy being able to cozy up on my couch with a fluffy blanket waiting for a new movie to begin. It will have to do for now.
After pushing the original release date twice for the Pixar Animation Studio film “Soul,” Disney decided to release it directly through Disney+ instead of its on-demand TV channel.
The on-demand option would’ve made consumers pay additional money on top of their subscription like the release of “Mulan,” according to an Oct. 9, 2020 Observer article.
While I’m all for releasing movies through video streaming services, I don’t like the concept of paying additional fees to a service provider.
Movies should be accessible to bring people a mini-theater experience from the comfort of their own home.
Now is a difficult time for studios to create major productions, however the pandemic is teaching us to realize the world must pause until everything goes back to normal.
In the meantime, membership fees for streaming services should cover money typically made from theaters, assuming there are no plans for a new blockbuster film.
The theater industry will survive because most people miss the nostalgia of movie theaters.
For the time being, I have no problem waiting for a new movie premiere through a subscription service while enjoying takeout food.