*** Coronavirus Impact on the Entertainment Industry ***

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TCTTS
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In reply to MW03 • 10:36p, 4/12/21
AG
It's an absolute gut punch for sure. The Dixie Chicken closing is a good comparison, but on a way bigger scale, and not quite as "essential" as ArcLight has been. The ArcLight Hollywood, especially, was THE theater in all of LA. It's where a ton of premieres were, it's were everyone went opening weekend, it's one of two theaters where they held post-screening Q&A's, it's where many of the critics screenings were, it's where you'd always see celebrities, they had a great restaurant, a great bar, and there are dozens of restaurants in walking distance that you'd associate "dinner and a movie" with. EVERYONE in LA has an ArcLight Hollywood story. The facade itself - the "CINERAMA" sign out front - has been in a ton of movies too (most recently, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). People here really are having trouble comprehending this.

And look, again, it'll get bought up by another chain. We'll see movies in the Dome again, premieres will be held there again, etc. But the ArcLight management and staff were second to none. And I don't know that the quality, service, and attention to detail will ever be replicated. The only chain that I think could do them justice is Landmark. If they were to take over, it has a chance to be just as good again or better. I just hope like hell it's not AMC, who would absolutely ruin everything about what made that place so magic...
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WoMD
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In reply to Fenrir • 10:44p, 4/12/21
Fenrir said:
A year ago 75% of californians in a survey supported shelter in place orders for as long as necessary.

https://www.chcf.org/blog/covid-19-tracking-poll-75-californians-support-shelter-place-as-long-as-needed/

To pretend those people haven't received the natural end results of their desires is delusional regardless.of whether they would regret those consequences now.

Back in SF (where I moved from) people are still terrified to go outside. They'll complain about the consequences, and act shocked by all these closures, but never once consider that they actually supported the actions that led to these consequences from the very beginning. And many still support those actions to this day.
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TCTTS
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In reply to WoMD • 10:55p, 4/12/21
AG
WoMD said:
TCTTS said:
Theater goers weren't cheering on the closures.

There's nothing "self-inflicted" about this. We are not Newsom. We are not our sh*tty representatives.

Eh, many Californians supported this ****, so it can be argued that it was self inflicted due to the type of people you've knowingly put in charge. You voted for people who would do this. It was obvious the type of person Newsom is. So the consequences are a surprise to no one looking in.

I feel bad for those impacted, as I was one of them before leaving for Idaho (which is open and free of this type of nonsense) last fall. But to deny that the population is innocent in this is simply not true. The majority decided that these consequences were worth it. And alot of the people in the those tweets support complete government control in California, so they have no business *****ing about how things played out.

Sorry to make this political, but unfortunately everything that happens in California right now has a significant amount of political influence. And due to the political climate out there, it is almost all negative.

Elections (and progressivism) have consequences.

Thanks, dad.

"And alot of the people in the those tweets support complete government control in California, so they have no business *****ing about how things played out." - Amazing that you were able to check into all of those people's voting history and stances on the pandemic in such short amount of time.

Why not, "Man, that sucks." Or, "Sorry to hear about this." Why not at least attempt to be an actual human being first and foremost before immediately getting on your high horses and wagging your fingers from halfway across the country? We don't need lectures from people who have zero idea what it's really like in Los Angeles.

Most people I know can't stand Newsom.

Most people I know weren't for the insane closures.

Most people I know think this whole thing has been handled terribly.

We weren't all jerking ourselves off, sipping on champagne and advocating for socialism while rooting for the economy to tank in hopes of ousting Trump.

Most people I know out here hardly talk politics, don't really engage with any of it, and are just trying to make their way in the entertainment industry while watching movies that keep us motivated, with friends, at great movie theaters.

That's it and that's all.
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fig96
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In reply to WoMD • 11:01p, 4/12/21
AG
WoMD said:
Sorry to make this political, but unfortunately everything that happens in California right now has a significant amount of political influence. And due to the political climate out there, it is almost all negative.

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fig96
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In reply to TCTTS • 11:05p, 4/12/21
AG
I've been to the ArcLight and it was awesome, my timeline is full of LA people talking about right now.

Hopefully someone comes in to buy it and does it justice.
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WoMD
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In reply to TCTTS • 11:07p, 4/12/21
TCTTS said:
WoMD said:
TCTTS said:
Theater goers weren't cheering on the closures.

There's nothing "self-inflicted" about this. We are not Newsom. We are not our sh*tty representatives.

Eh, many Californians supported this ****, so it can be argued that it was self inflicted due to the type of people you've knowingly put in charge. You voted for people who would do this. It was obvious the type of person Newsom is. So the consequences are a surprise to no one looking in.

I feel bad for those impacted, as I was one of them before leaving for Idaho (which is open and free of this type of nonsense) last fall. But to deny that the population is innocent in this is simply not true. The majority decided that these consequences were worth it. And alot of the people in the those tweets support complete government control in California, so they have no business *****ing about how things played out.

Sorry to make this political, but unfortunately everything that happens in California right now has a significant amount of political influence. And due to the political climate out there, it is almost all negative.

Elections (and progressivism) have consequences.

Thanks, dad.

"And alot of the people in the those tweets support complete government control in California, so they have no business *****ing about how things played out." - Amazing that you were able to check into all of those people's voting history and stances on the pandemic in such short amount of time.

Why not, "Man, that sucks." Or, "Sorry to hear about this." Why not at least attempt to be actual human being first and foremost before immediately getting on your high horses and wagging your fingers from halfway across the country? We don't need lectures from people who have zero idea what it's really like out here.

Most people I know can't stand Newsom.

Most people I know weren't for the insane closures.

Most people I know think this whole thing has been handled terribly.

We weren't all jerking ourselves off, sipping on champagne and advocating for socialism while rooting for the economy to tank in hopes of ousting Trump.

Most people I know out here hardly talk politics, don't really engage with any of it, and are just trying to make their way in the entertainment industry while watching movies that keep us motivated, with friends, at great movie theaters.

That's it and that's all.

I lived right smack in the middle of that madness. I know EXACTLY what it's like there. In fact, where I was (SF) was significantly worse than where you're at. So yeah, I have a pretty good idea of what happened, and what is still happening. And forgive me if I dont feel too much pity at this point. I feel bad for the businesses, absolutely. I ran a business there. It's hell in that climate. But I sure as hell don't feel bad for the majority who created the mess that is California right now. And it will only get worse until everyone there sees (and actually acknowledges) the mess they've created. Thats doubtful, but stranger things have happened...

Sorry for the blunt response, but the flat out denial of accountability of the voters in California for every damn problem they've directly created in that state was infuriating while I lived there (for a long ass time). This is just yet another example. And in the end, nothing will change. No lessons will ever be learned, and the same fools will continue to be voted in, and things will only get worse.
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TCTTS
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In reply to WoMD • 11:12p, 4/12/21
AG
Comparing SF to LA is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. One is the most liberal city on the planet and the other absolutely leans left, sure, but is far more of a melting pot of political diversity, with some uber liberal "Hollywood elites" sprinkled in.
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TCTTS
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In reply to fig96 • 11:13p, 4/12/21
AG
fig96 said:
I've been to the ArcLight and it was awesome, my timeline is full of LA people talking about right now.

Hopefully someone comes in to buy it and does it justice.


I think they will. Ultimately, it'll work itself out. Just sucks for the interim.
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TCTTS
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11:56p, 4/12/21
AG
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MBAR
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9:35a, 4/13/21
AG
1 year into the pandemic with tons of evidence to the contrary people still think that if theaters had been allowed to be open they would have been making money. Just pointless to argue with people who want to believe that at this point.
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Bunk Moreland
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In reply to MBAR • 9:41a, 4/13/21
MBAR said:
1 year into the pandemic with tons of evidence to the contrary people still think that if theaters had been allowed to be open they would have been making money. Just pointless to argue with people who want to believe that at this point.

Been to multiple movies in the theaters (new releases and re-releases)...many of them had lots of people, especially the more we got into fall of 2020.

Been to 2 different 'events' where a theater was rented out by large groups. Each of the theaters I was at were able to operate with a skeleton crew to save costs.

There were ways to make some money and help bridge the gap even with the studios continuing to push most major releases. Would it have saved Arclight? Who knows. I do know a sure fire way to ensure their demise...and that's exactly what the Cali leadership did.

My guess is many of these companies just wish they had a shot to try.
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jimscott85
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9:54a, 4/13/21
AG
The margins for a theater operator can be ultra thin...not as thin as a restaurant...but thin nonetheless. The announcements above should come as no surprise. This isn't about blame...it's about facts and the bottom line:
  • Operations are limited to California.
  • CA has some of the highest labor, real estate and tax burden in the country.
  • With the most restrictive measures in place since the onset of the pandemic, the chain didn't have cash flows. Period.

Again, this isn't about what could have/should have been done. But this is a consequence. As others have stated, other chains that can absorb a new theatre with slim margin without introducing significant overhead could come along and pick them up.
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In reply to Bunk Moreland • 9:55a, 4/13/21
jimscott85
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In reply to [removed post] • 10:01a, 4/13/21
AG
Was CA similar to Texas with the restrictions? Local application of a statewide mandate? For example, if fewer than X cases, you can operate at 25%.

I thought CA and TX had similar mandates, but CA was of course much more restrictive and lasted much longer.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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In reply to TCTTS • 5:14p, 4/13/21
AG
TCTTS said:
There's no way it doesn't reopen (if under new management), right?
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Brian Earl Spilner
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In reply to Brian Earl Spilner • 5:20p, 4/13/21
AG
Sorry, I see it's already discussed. I've been out of the loop on news this week.
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J. Walter Weatherman
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In reply to [removed post] • 5:24a, 4/14/21
third coast.. said:
How can you seriously say voting in politicians who are forcing these closures which ruin businesses isnt self inflicted? Across the country politicians are drunk with power and their constituents allow it, and it isn't only in california. The government in California literally built a wall around one business because they dared to continue to operate their business.

This is the more government people asked for, so I really don't know why anyone is surprised when that government makes decisions thst hurt the average person.

And it blows ass that regular folks from all over the country are being g ruined financially and otherwise by absolutely ridiculous corona nazi politicians. The corona lord and savior fquci said that vaccinated people shouldn't eat indoors and should still wear masks. The whole ****ing thing jumped the shark a long ass time ago.

But honestly, I dont really feel sorry for the types of people who have pushed the lock downs and limited capacities and then are surprised and hurt when places they know and love have to close down. I mean, how did anyone NOT see this coming?


Exactly. Can just about guarantee the majority of those people dramatically tweeting about this were the same ones tweeting "#stayhomestaysafe" in sweatpants on their couches from $2000 MacBooks while thousands of small businesses were closing and millions of people were let go due to the insane restrictions from politicians they voted for.

Hopefully someone can take over and keep the same feel though, sounds like a really unique place and a great atmosphere.
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TCTTS
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6:05p, 4/25/21
AG
Let's ******* go!!!

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jimscott85
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10:15a, 4/26/21
AG
Domestic box over the weekend was the biggest since the pandy began. Mortal Kombat, which outside of the current events would have underwhelmed, teamed up with Demon Slayer, which was a record-breaker in Japan, to bring in $54M over the weekend. A few thoughts:

- These are "filler" films in recent years pre-pandemic. N
- This weekend was above the Easter weekend totals and the weekend before that when GvK opened.
- Mortal Kombat was another simultaneous release, which undercut some of the box office potential.

The next milestone is the $100+ million weekend. I'm eyeballing Memorial Day weekend. A Quiet Place 2 and Cruella (although simultaneously released on Disney+) could pair up for a great weekend of new content that doesn't cannibalize viewers. If there isn't some insane spike in COVID #s or another delay on either of these films (I wouldn't anticipate with the Disney+ hedge and the fact that QP2 moved UP this year), look forward to the theater chains pulling out all the stops to bring people back (loyalty offers, coupons, etc.).
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MW03
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11:45a, 4/26/21
AG
I was looking randomly at the box office numbers for 2019 vs 2020, and it's really astonishing. Here's the top 20 grossing films for each year, with the release date

2019
1 Avengers: Endgame Apr 26, 2019 $858MM
2 The Lion King Jul 19, 2019 $543MM
3 Frozen II Nov 22, 2019 $450MM
4 Toy Story 4 Jun 21, 2019 $434MM
5 Captain Marvel Mar 8, 2019 $426MM
6 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Dec 20, 2019 $390MM
7 Spider-Man: Far From Home Jul 2, 2019 $390MM
8 Aladdin May 24, 2019 $355MM
9 Joker Oct 4, 2019 $333MM
10 It: Chapter Two Sep 6, 2019 $211MM
11 Jumanji: The Next Level Dec 13, 2019 $192MM
12 Us Mar 22, 2019 $175MM
13 Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs v. Shaw Aug 2, 2019 $173MM
14 John Wick: Chapter 3 May 17, 2019 $171MM
15 How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Feb 22, 2019 $160MM
16 The Secret Life of Pets 2 Jun 7, 2019 $158MM
17 Pokmon: Detective Pikachu May 10, 2019 $144MM
18 Once Upon a Timein Hollywood Jul 26, 2019 $141MM
19 Shazam! Apr 5, 2019 $140MM
20 Aquaman Dec 21, 2018 $136MM

2020
1 Bad Boys For Life Jan 17, 2020 $204MM
2 1917 Dec 25, 2019 $157MM
3 Sonic The Hedgehog Feb 14, 2020 $146MM
4 Jumanji: The Next Level Dec 13, 2019 $124MM
5 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Dec 20, 2019 $124MM
6 Birds of Prey Feb 7, 2020 $84MM
7 Dolittle Jan 17, 2020 $77MM
8 The Invisible Man Feb 28, 2020 $64MM
9 The Call of the Wild Feb 21, 2020 $62MM
10 Onward Mar 6, 2020 $61MM
11 Tenet Sep 3, 2020 $57MM
12 Halloween Oct 17, 1978 $47MM
13 Little Women Dec 25, 2019 $37MM
14 The Gentlemen Jan 24, 2020 $36MM
15 Just Mercy Jan 10, 2020 $35MM
16 Knives Out Nov 27, 2019 $35MM
17 The Croods: A New Age Nov 25, 2020 $34MM
18 Parasite Oct 11, 2019 $29MM
19 Wonder Woman 1984 Dec 25, 2020 $28MM
20 Frozen II Nov 22, 2019 $26MM

Mortal Kombat made $23MM in it's opening weekend, $3MM more than Tenet in it's opening weekend, and it's in more theaters (3,073) than Tenet was (2,970).

Other craziness from 2020

  • The #12 movie in the country by gross was Halloween, which was released in 1978. #46 was Christmas Vacation (1989). Also in the top 100 - It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Hocus Pocus (1993), A Christmas Story (1983), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), The Empire Strikes Back (1981), Die Hard (1988), Elf (2003), and Toy Story (1995).
  • Speaking of Toy Story, it was #100, grossing $870,305. In 2019, the #100 movie, Black and Blue, grossed $22MM.
  • Only 5 movies exceeded $100MM in 2020. In 2019, 29 movies made $100MM or more.
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israeliag
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In reply to TCTTS • 12:03p, 4/26/21
AG
TCTTS said:
Let's ******* go!!!



Does anyone know which movie theater will allow camping-tent seating in their auditoriums? Because when the second dose fully kicks in, I'm definitely pitching a tent in a cinema (in both ways).
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TCTTS
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12:39p, 4/26/21
AG
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TCTTS
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3:41p, 4/26/21
AG
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MBAR
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In reply to TCTTS • 9:53a, 4/27/21
AG
TCTTS said:
I'm glad this is working out well and I hope it eases fears of day 1 streaming for some films. Especially small indies.
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TCTTS
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3:57p, 4/29/21
AG
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fig96
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In reply to TCTTS • 4:22p, 4/29/21
AG
Glad to hear. My local Alamo has been open for a little while now with restrictions in place, fingers crossed they decide to continue building the new one they were just starting on near here.
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Chipotlemonger
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10:00p, 5/17/21
AG
This thread dead?
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TCTTS
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In reply to Chipotlemonger • 10:02p, 5/17/21
AG
Hopefully.
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jimscott85
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In reply to TCTTS • 10:55a, 5/26/21
AG
Hopefully it's dead compared to where we've been over the course of the last year.

Lots of presale news for QP2, but presales don't make me feel warm and squishy just yet. We saw relatively high presales for Mortal Kombat and GvK, but that just meant moviegoers were buying ahead of time instead of risking the chances they couldn't walk up and get the seat they wanted.

I'm interested in:
  • QP2 box office after 2 weeks compared to the first one. The horror/sci-fi genre has a much faster drop-off after the 1st and 2nd weekends compared to the action and children genres.
  • Cruella box office data compared to "pre-COVID" Disney reboots. Hopefully there's good attendance in general but Disney will be looking hard at the numbers to calculate the impact of the dual release model. I'm hoping the data suggests: "It's an option, but it's not ideal for the monster releases. We still need the exclusive theatrical window."
  • Continued increase in box office per release. This isn't a metric addressed specifically by analysts, but I can see it as a measure of whether we are meeting "box office potential". The biggest month so far is April of '21 with $190M of box office across 76 releases for an average of $2.5M per release. Pre-COVID, the floor was typically $3M per release with a ceiling of $6M+ on 150-200 releases per month. We want the # and quality of releases to climb but the box office per release has to climb with it.
  • Mergers, acquisitions and other "business decisions." Whether it's the Alamo bankruptcy or the recent Amazon announcement to buy MGM, they'll all have a combined impact on the industry. In order for the industry to thrive, theaters have to stay open and the theatrical release has to remain sacred.

Even if I hated the theater experience, I wouldn't want to see the chains fail. Quality content depends on the box office revenues (and the resulting downstream revenues) to pay the bulk of the bills. Without the upside, I the cost of in-home content either goes up or the content quality goes down.
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nosoupforyou
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11:13a, 5/26/21
AG
Quiet Place 2 - Presale tickets purchased right here! Thursday night at 7 - including Q&A with John Krasinski

let's gooooo!
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Brian Earl Spilner
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10:43a, 6/1/21
AG
Are we officially done with this thread after a great weekend at the box office?

It would seem to be full steam ahead for theatrical releases.
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C@LAg
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11:50a, 6/1/21
nah. The impact is still going to be felt for a while, especially as they launch some of the real blockbusters and can compare them to their predecessors.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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In reply to C@LAg • 12:00p, 6/1/21
AG
Well obviously nobody expects box office tallies to jump right back to pre-covid levels.

But I meant in the sense of theater closures, movie delays, and production halts.
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TCTTS
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1:55p, 6/1/21
AG
I'm with Spilner. Purely in terms of the overall entertainment discussion, as of this weekend, I consider the pandemic over. No more dates will be shifting because of the virus, we have big movies releasing from here on out nearly every weekend this summer, most theaters are maskless now, etc.

I think all general release & box office talk can officially be consolidated/moved to the release date/trailer thread...

https://texags.com/forums/13/topics/3034035/38

As for this thread, after 14 long months, I'm walking away from it like this...








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Brian Earl Spilner
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2:33p, 6/1/21
AG
Me, to covid:

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