THE FUTURE OF CINEMA

When the need to stay put begins to feel more and more excruciating as the days go on, the need to distract oneself increases evermore, as well.

While streaming services have, of course, existed in great popularity for quite some time before our world’s current calamity, it seems their ability to scratch that particular itch has become an invaluable one to millions everywhere.

Movie theaters have always been generally considered to be king when it comes to the potential to immerse an audience into the latest flashy-fun narrative, but now that their doors have been sealed for the foreseeable future, the film studios that relied on them have had no choice but to dive into the sea of possibilities they’ve been flirting with for years.
Though most people will tell you they by no means want to see the movie theater vanish into our collective memories, it’s understandable that we begin to worry for their future as the pandemic rapidly changes our way of life.

“Trolls: World Tour,” sequel to 2016’s “Trolls,” initially found itself in quite the tricky spot, being forced to practically skip its entire scheduled theater run entirely thanks to some unfortunate timing, in terms of COVID-19. After Universal, the production company, then moved the film to a more personal, health-friendly format, it held off on releasing any kind of revenue data for some time. But, sure enough, late last month, the studio reported that the new sequel saw more profit in the first three weeks of its release than the original did in five months showing inside theaters.

Intimidating results, for sure, and not the greatest news if you, like me, still want to see a continued existence of traditional movie-going.

However, it is also true that the circumstances in which we find ourselves now must be critically considered: Would so many people have seen the film had it not been so convenient, now that they have to stay home?

It isn’t the easiest question to answer on its own, and especially not when other studios that own similarly-released films continue to keep quiet regarding their recent gross reports.

Another factor to be considered is cost: The price for renting a digital movie is a fixed one, independent of your household size, while theaters charge by the individual.

If only the future of cinema could appear crystal-clear at this point in time. There is no doubt there will always be an audience eager to share a few moments of spectacle with others on a screen likely many times the size of their own. Yet as technology advances further, the necessity for such an experience wanes, and as history will tell you, corporations care only about the consumer when it remains a necessity for their profits.

The option to decide to enjoy a movie from the comfort of your own home is a wonderful one in many respects, but one often chosen with a twinge of mourning for what could be lost in the process: so many of the next generation’s movie-lovers, gathered together, faces flooded with color, stuffing their mouths full of popcorn with glee.