They’re right when they say the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Consider today’s column about exhibitors‘ streaming worries and how exhibs & distribs must work together for either to have a future. It’s 3 years old, but I could have written it now.
EXCERPTED FROM 4/29/18:
It’s perfect timing for AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR to open to $250M+ just as exhibitors were assessing Hollywood’s health at CinemaCon…
Distributors, of course, were previewing their biggest new titles to generate exhibitor excitement. Exhibitors typically want people to go to “the movies” – any movie will do since most of them will be playing in a big multiplex and virtually everyone will buy popcorn or other snacks. Distributors want people to go see “a movie” – theirs!
Theatrical exhibition and the marketing money linked to it adds tremendous value to movies, creating awareness for subsequent digital streaming and other video distribution. The two camps may have their own points of view, but they’re really joined at the hip and need each other. They do have a future – and it’s likely to be brightest if they can manage to keep working together.