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Global Box Office Flat in 2018, Netflix and Subscription Services Rise in Popularity (variety.com)
An anonymous reader shares a report: The domestic box office rebounded in 2018 in a recovery fueled by blockbusters such as "Black Panther" and "Incredibles 2." Ticket sales in the U.S. climbed 7% to top out at a record $11.9 billion, according to a new report by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). That helped off-set declines in overseas markets in Europe and Latin America, pushing the global box office to $41.1 billion, a year-over-year improvement of a percentage point. The MPAA study is produced by the entertainment industry trade group and is intended to provide a comprehensive look at the overall state of the film business.
In addition to box office revenues, the report found that the global home entertainment business increased by 16% to reach $55.7 billion last year. This was driven primarily by the rise of digital rentals, sales, and subscriptions to streaming services such as Netflix. Digital home entertainment spending in the U.S. increased 24% to $17.5 billion; internationally this sector climbed 34% to $25.1 billion. That helped plug the gap left by massive declines in the sale and rental of DVDs and Blu-rays. In the U.S., disc sales dropped 15% to $5.8 billion and fell 14% internationally to $7.3 billion. Four years ago, physical sales in the U.S. were $10.3 billion and were $14.9 billion internationally, a sign of just how precipitously the DVD market has fallen. Over that same period, digital spending has increased 170% globally. Much of that rise is attributable to the popularity of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other subscription services. Globally, the number of digital subscriptions increased by 27% to 613.3 million. Online video subscriptions surpassed cable for the first time in 2018. Cable subscriptions fell 2% to 556 million.
In addition to box office revenues, the report found that the global home entertainment business increased by 16% to reach $55.7 billion last year. This was driven primarily by the rise of digital rentals, sales, and subscriptions to streaming services such as Netflix. Digital home entertainment spending in the U.S. increased 24% to $17.5 billion; internationally this sector climbed 34% to $25.1 billion. That helped plug the gap left by massive declines in the sale and rental of DVDs and Blu-rays. In the U.S., disc sales dropped 15% to $5.8 billion and fell 14% internationally to $7.3 billion. Four years ago, physical sales in the U.S. were $10.3 billion and were $14.9 billion internationally, a sign of just how precipitously the DVD market has fallen. Over that same period, digital spending has increased 170% globally. Much of that rise is attributable to the popularity of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other subscription services. Globally, the number of digital subscriptions increased by 27% to 613.3 million. Online video subscriptions surpassed cable for the first time in 2018. Cable subscriptions fell 2% to 556 million.
My home theater is still on par with movie theaters, with the exception of the size of the screen, which doesn't dominate my living room. Surround, Balanced, dark, with real popcorn butter. Add in, I can pause the film being played to .... get more popcorn, and it is a win.
The point being, there is very little value added to spending $15 ticket to see a movie, in a crowded theater. Add in the $6 soda and $10 Bucket of Popcorn. I'd rather spend that kind of dough on a nice couple NY steaks, or even Filet and have a great meal and a movie at home, relaxed, in my PJs.
Tell me again why I should go to the theater?
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
The Rat is everywhere, at least with subscription services there's still some diversity left. Fuck your $10 popcorn
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
I pay $20 per month for AMC A-List program to see up to 12 movies per month. I typically see a movie every weekend. Concession sales may be a better metric since that is the whole point for giving away seats.
The whole trend with movie theaters losing ground to home theaters reminds me of what happened to arcades. Back in the 80's and early 90's they were the place to be because you could only experience the latest and greatest games at the arcade. But once home consoles caught up with the arcade machines they completely died out because of the convenience of having the latest and greatest at home meant you didn't have to put up with all the obnoxiousness of arcades (not to mention the gang fights).
Unless you're into the theater 'experience' (being around tons of people, gigantic screens, loud sound system) there's really no reason not to just wait for it to come out on DVD or Netflix and watch it home where you can choose when to watch, pause/rewind the movie, eat what you want, and not have to deal with obnoxious people for a fraction of the cost. Unless movie theaters do some serious innovating (3-D part duex seems to have fizzled) they're going to disappear in the next decade or so except for a small few for those who still want the 'experience'.
Movies and TV shows these days suck or maybe I just lost interest in devoting so much of my attention to them. My media consumption is mostly music via YouTube. I haven't purchased a video or music since 1999. No Netflix, no Amazon Prime, no Hulu, no cable. Every great while I'll go to a movie because there's something my girlfriend wants to watch but that's it, really.
Home theater trumps movie theater. I understand the appeal of having a night out and for some things, like a date or taking the kids out for the night, the movie theater is great. But those are relatively few and far between and for most viewing my home theater system is great. I love the convenience of being able to start and stop whenever I like. Not to mention that a night out at the movies is quite expensive compared to the monthly cost of Netflix and Amazon.
Personally I haven't bought a DVD in years. I think I have bought about 3 Blueray disks, just out of curiosity. So to me DVDs are dead.
I think it's going to be very hard for movie theaters to thrive. Other than the big screen and big sound the only other advantage is that you get to see new movies there before they appear on Netflix. For me I'm so busy doing other things that I can wait to see movies when I get around to it. Big Hollywood productions seem to be overproduced formula themed events that lack substance for the most part. For the most part I have left them behind for more compelling entertainment options.
Like Brie's ass!
The theater has a charm of its own though how much remains to be seen as a bespoke 86" screen can be had for just over $2k in the US. The real problem is the studios as there are less movies coming out and more of them are bad. With the consolidation of the studios there are fewer interesting films making it out before they are turned into pablum.
You can get an IMAX level of immersion if you get a projector and sit close to the screen.
You can even get curved projection screens. Though I wonder how projector focus is affected, and if any projectors allow for curvature adjustment...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
public sex with a stranger?
You know, "Archangel Michael" never mentionned that his living room curtains needed to be closed.
Nor that he won't invite people that you don't know.
Nor that he'll shotgun the face out of anyone attempting to look through the windows.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/dwayne-johnson-china-what-is-box-office-fraud-2018-7
People only have so much disposable income every week.
Why risk paying for a political movie script with low quality actors?
Put the same hours into streaming movies and series?
Lots of better ways to spend that money and ways to work out what to do with a few free hours.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
Hollywood's decision to insert identity politics into everything, as well as international politics with the theme "America is Bad." We don't much appreciate this sort of preachifying around here. You make Captain Marvel to be working on the side of evil, and the former bad guys are just oppressed by the supposed good guys, and that just shrieks that America is the Kree, and everyone else are the opproessed. Look, the good guys in all the superhero magazines throughout their existence have always been a stand-in for the USA - Superman was the USA after WW2, and was absolutely invulnerable except for kryponite, and then we lost the Viet Nam War. Suddenly, Superman could be hurt, because Superman WAS the USA. Then we have the Hollywood bunch promoting anti-Americanism, and now Superman can actually be killed. That is Hollywood attacking the USA as evil, no 2 ways about it, and I think some people actually feel it without putting those little 2's and 2's together. We also have guys like Tarantino badmouthing the police - more identity politics for which I didn't see the Hateful 8, even tho that was not this year, but the string of America-bashing flicks are not so enjoyable if you don't believe the President is evil and the USA is evil and the sunrise is racist and the sunrise is racist because of the USA.
Stuff it, Hollywood. Get back on track and embrace patriotism, and quit with the identity politics that has things like the Star Trek Discovery crew being captianed by a female that goes hand-to-hand with Klingons and survives - which Kirk could barely get away with, and no person in a 140 lb frame without testosterone-fueld muscles is going to survive against a 250 lb Klingon. Saw the 1st 1 or 2 eposides, sand, "Naw", and have't looked at another one. Get real, people - guys do hand to hand combat, not gals, and there's no fictiionalizing that Hollywood can do to change that. Play the magic card like Wonder Woman and it becomes OK, but otherwse... naw, not interesting.
So, get real, give us something that adds up when we bring out our 2's plus 2's, and maybe we can enjoy it. I see most everything anyway, as I love going to the theater, but the difference is when you give me something good, I'll see it twice, or maybe even thrice. But anti-American stuff that offends me, or completely stupid stuff like whispy females surviving Klingons hand-to-hand... that's a one-and-done.