With big-budget blockbusters launching simultaneously online and in theaters, streaming has “pushed into its own white space” and is unlikely to vacate that space any time soon, according to Ampere Analysis’ Guy Bisson.
AT A GLANCE
Variety breaks down some of the key points made by Guy Bisson (Ampere Analysis), speaking at the European Film Market opening session during the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale).
Due the COVID-19 pandemic, big-budget features have been pushed into premiering on streaming services, simultaneous to or instead of theatrical presentation. The effect is that for films such as Mulan or Wonder Woman 1984 the theatrical window has been closed.
“That PVOD [Premium Video on Demand] content, some of those theatrical releases put content where streaming has yet to tread: in the premium blockbuster theatrical release window,” said Bisson. “That, of course, fed into the wider cycle of (streaming) growth and audience shift.”
Ever increasing vaccination numbers will allow theaters to open soon at reduced capacity, but will the studios maintain the straight-to-streaming release model as movie houses see the return of audiences?
Bisson suggests that the industry will adopt a “mix and match” solution, reopening the theatrical window for big release, but premiering smaller films on streaming services.
“I don’t think theatrical is dead,” Bisson assures the industry. “I think as soon as we can we will go back to it, it has all sorts of value around promotion and marketing that’s difficult to quantify, but I do think there’s some releases now that will start to go direct to streaming.”
Head over to Variety to read the full story.
