News Bob Iger is back! Chapek is out!!

[dreday3]

I’m really shocked by how many people don’t see movies as communal activities. Watching a film in a packed theater can be an immensely richer experience then watching one alone. Seeing Endgame with a full house, with the cheers, sobs, and laughter, is a completely different experience then viewing it alone, no matter the resolution of the screen. I genuinely regret not being able to watch No Way Home with a packed theater. Comedies in particular work so much better with a bunch of other folks laughing along.

It’s subjective, of course, but I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that shared moviegoing matters. I mean, it’s been the way we’ve viewed films for well over a century. It’s survived previous plagues, wars, suburbanization, the rise of TVs and VCRs… filmgoing has value as a shared experience.

The theatres by us...the last time we went there was a brawl over seats. In order to get to the "nice" theatres you all seem to have, we have to drive out the suburbs or go downtown. It's just more of a hassle than it's worth to be honest.

We would go more often if the experience was better, but unfortunately we stopped because it was only getting worse. Quite a few babies at all the movies, loud groups, fights, cell phones...nope.

 

[UNCgolf]

I’m really shocked by how many people don’t see movies as communal activities. Watching a film in a packed theater can be an immensely richer experience then watching one alone. Seeing Endgame with a full house, with the cheers, sobs, and laughter, is a completely different experience then viewing it alone, no matter the resolution of the screen. I genuinely regret not being able to watch No Way Home with a packed theater. Comedies in particular work so much better with a bunch of other folks laughing along.

It’s subjective, of course, but I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that shared moviegoing matters. I mean, it’s been the way we’ve viewed films for well over a century. It’s survived previous plagues, wars, suburbanization, the rise of TVs and VCRs… filmgoing has value as a shared experience.

It's just like anything else -- different people have different tastes.

I hate being in a movie theater where people clap and cheer during the film. It's the most annoying thing in the world and ruins the experience; I would never even consider going to something like Endgame in the theaters until at least a few weeks had passed for that reason alone.

 

[FigmentFan82]

I’m really shocked by how many people don’t see movies as communal activities. Watching a film in a packed theater can be an immensely richer experience then watching one alone. Seeing Endgame with a full house, with the cheers, sobs, and laughter, is a completely different experience then viewing it alone, no matter the resolution of the screen. I genuinely regret not being able to watch No Way Home with a packed theater. Comedies in particular work so much better with a bunch of other folks laughing along.

It’s subjective, of course, but I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that shared moviegoing matters. I mean, it’s been the way we’ve viewed films for well over a century. It’s survived previous plagues, wars, suburbanization, the rise of TVs and VCRs… filmgoing has value as a shared experience.

we don't always agree.

on this we agree

 

[MrPromey]

https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt...lash-costs-across-the-walt-disney-company.htm

I think this brings into focus my thoughts on Chapek's way of running the company. (with McCarthy's help so how interesting that she apparently had a hand in his ouster)

It goes back to an episode of Mad Men regarding advertising for smoking and there are two scenes that seem like they apply:

The conversation:




Someone attempting a failed pitch with the info from that conversation:



Bob (the second) was the kind of guy that would stand up in that second meeting with the research data.

... and that's why I think he was a bad fit for Disney.

 

[Touchdown]

One of the best theatre experiences I’ve had was watching the Hangover in a run down old theatre with bad picture and sound. It was completely full and I went with classmates. Laughed our butts off the whole time along with the entire theatre.

Endgame was fun, so was Avatar but they don’t touch that experience.

 

[DKampy]

For the first time since 2015ish I will be purposefully buying 3D tickets to Avatar.

So will I… the only movie I have experience that was worth the 3d is the 1st Avatar… people who think they are glad they waited to watch Avatar on their tv at home… never experience it in all it’s 3d glory

 

[flynnibus]

Movies shifted from theaters to Disney+ because of the pandemic, that's it. *Shows* shifted from *TV* to Disney+ to avoid what the recording industry went through.

And the shortening of the release cycle that was happening before the pandemic?

And the shift and motivation to release directly through your own channels instead of through distribution?? Notice ghese movies goto ONE streaming service…. Not multiple. This is not due to pandemic.

The pandemic only was a jolt that some films skipped their measely 6-8 week theater run. It did not cause the planetary shifting that was already happening. The push for direct distribution and the condensing/front-loading that was happening in threatrical releases.

The record industry issue is different because what they lost control of was the primary way in which content got promoted, heard, and distributed. Then they were forced to redefine the sales model to find a way to stay relevant in the face of illegal distribution.

Film is fighting first how to keep driving sales and protecting margins… not that they are facing losing control over how films are discovered or distributed.

 

[SirLink]

Disney+ allows them to stream different versions/modifications of a film to different markets.

But Disney are a) refusing to do it b)refusing to release the altered cuts in cinemas in those markets affected.

 

[FigmentFan82]

No one sets out to make a bad film (except maybe Troma, but that's their bread and butter) Box Office does not reflect the quality of a film - see Scott Pilgrim and all Transformers movies. At the end of the day no one can fully predict if an audience will go out for a film release or not. But hopefully studios can learn the right lessons from BO failures as well as successes. Marvel runs itself and Fiege is bold. Lucasfilm has always been timid with the films, but TV has emboldened them more for sure. Animations long lead time always leads to some guesswork - will this movie that we wrote 3-4 years ago play the way we want it to play today when it's released?
So what's my point?
I don't know. But I've always loved movies, at home, at the theater, on a plane, wherever.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

And the shortening of the release cycle that was happening before the pandemic?

What films had shortened cycles before the pandemic?

 

[FigmentFan82]

What films had shortened cycles before the pandemic?

Most of the studios were pushing for the shorter windows to be able to more quickly get to the rental and digital home sales and the theater chains were not happy about it. This 100% was happening pre-pandemic. The pandemic accelerated these timetables and plans and also enabled the studios to fully bypass the theater exhibition if they decided to do so. Then the studios were trying all different types of release strategies when theaters were closed resulting in mixed results. It was already all happening even if you weren't paying attention to it.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Not sure how many people have an attention span or the time to sit in a movie theatre for three bloated hours and ten minutes for a sequel whose origins many don’t even remember, but we shall see.

I went to see the movie for the groundbreaking effects. I have since watched it a couple of times over the years. Sitting here right now, I cannot name 1 character in the film.. I'll catch it on D+

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Most of the studios were pushing for the shorter windows to be able to more quickly get to the rental and digital home sales and the theater chains were not happy about it. This 100% was happening pre-pandemic. The pandemic accelerated these timetables and plans and also enabled the studios to fully bypass the theater exhibition if they decided to do so. Then the studios were trying all different types of release strategies when theaters were closed resulting in mixed results. It was already all happening even if you weren't paying attention to it.

The issue as it relates to streaming is not a shortened theatrical window from 90 days to 45 days. The average consumer wouldn't even notice that. What they notice is 1) films that skip theatrical exhibition entirely, 2) films that are released day-and-date on streaming, 3) the elimination of the 90 day gap between theatrical release and PVOD / home media availability, and 4) the elimination of the need for PVOD / home media because everything is included in the monthly SVOD fee they're already paying.

Of those, I think only the last one is unrelated to COVID.

Frozen 2 was released on Disney+ on March 15, 114 days after its theatrical debut, and even that was accelerated from what they had originally planned. It was a special "surprise" during "15 Days to Slow the Spread."

I think that's where this ultimately ends up. Yeah, everything gets to Disney+ eventually, but months after a somewhat traditional theatrical window and PVOD release.

 

[James J]

For the first time since 2015ish I will be purposefully buying 3D tickets to Avatar.

We've just booked our 3D IMAX tickets for opening weekend, and I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw a 3D movie.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt...lash-costs-across-the-walt-disney-company.htm

I think this brings into focus my thoughts on Chapek's way of running the company. (with McCarthy's help so how interesting that she apparently had a hand in his ouster)

It goes back to an episode of Mad Men regarding advertising for smoking and there are two scenes that seem like they apply:

The conversation:




Someone attempting a failed pitch with the info from that conversation:



Bob (the second) was the kind of guy that would stand up in that second meeting with the research data.

... and that's why I think he was a bad fit for Disney.

The reason none of this applies is because Disney's problem is costs. Bob C. was canned because costs were out of control. Bringing back Bob I. and returning control to creative teams... as a way to cut costs... is nonsensical.

If you believe investors, what they actually want is more Bob C-ish-ness, not less. More McKinsey, not less.

We've just booked our 3D IMAX tickets for opening weekend, and I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw a 3D movie.

IMAX is sub-optimal for The Way of Water. If you have access to Dolby Cinema, I'd recommend switching. But if you don't, keeping IMAX is definitely better than standard format.

 

[MrPromey]

The reason none of this applies is because Disney's problem is costs. Bob C. was canned because costs were out of control. Bringing back Bob I. and returning control to creative teams... as a way to cut costs... is nonsensical.

If you believe investors, what they actually want is more Bob C-ish-ness, not less. More McKinsey, not less.

I'm on a fan site - not an investor site.

I'm talking about the long-term systemic problem of a company like Disney being managed by someone like Chapek - not the whiplash reactions the market has to quarterly profits.

 

[James J]

We've just booked our 3D IMAX tickets for opening weekend, and I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw a 3D movie.

IMAX is sub-optimal for The Way of Water. If you have access to Dolby Cinema, I'd recommend switching. But if you don't, keeping IMAX is definitely better than standard format.

Yeah, unfortunately those seem to be few and far between in the UK. They're certainly on the up but my nearest is still a good hour and a half drive away, annoyingly!

 

[el_super]

I think that's where this ultimately ends up. Yeah, everything gets to Disney+ eventually, but months after a somewhat traditional theatrical window and PVOD release.

No matter what else has been said, it's still in Disney's best interest to promote Disney+ as the primary distribution channel. One that they control and own outright. I don't think they're ready to cut off movie theaters entirely, but I can definitely still see that as being the end goal.

Their biggest issue isn't so much the means of distribution as it is maximizing their revenue from each one. If they figure out a model where they are getting more money from releasing something on Disney+ than a standard theater release, they would do it in a heartbeat.

 

[Jrb1979]

No matter what else has been said, it's still in Disney's best interest to promote Disney+ as the primary distribution channel. One that they control and own outright. I don't think they're ready to cut off movie theaters entirely, but I can definitely still see that as being the end goal.

Their biggest issue isn't so much the means of distribution as it is maximizing their revenue from each one. If they figure out a model where they are getting more money from releasing something on Disney+ than a standard theater release, they would do it in a heartbeat.

They haven't yet. Putting on Disney+ and not charging extra for it isn't working.

 

[el_super]

They haven't yet. Putting on Disney+ and not charging extra for it isn't working.

They didn't charge extra for a lot of releases on Disney+ because they prioritized subscriber growth over revenue. They always knew they would need to convert subscribers into more revenue at a later time, and that later time is now.

If there is a market for releasing content on Disney+ Premiere Access at $30, $40 or $50 dollars and make an equal amount to a theatrical release, they will do it.