5 ms·

Based on box office numbers, where 2022 should've been the year of recovery, perhaps even surpassing pre-pandemic number as people surged back to the cinema...

by chx 4y ago

Based on box office numbers, where 2022 should've been the year of recovery, perhaps even surpassing pre-pandemic number as people surged back to the cinema... none of that happened. The numbers are down drastically, box office is 60% of the pre-pandemic times. This year doesn't look particularly promising either. One Avatar a recovery doesn't make. The blockbuster movie and the multiplex cinema created a self strengthening cycle but it's over. I think we will see entire chains going under and with them, the blockbuster will die too. It is indeed the time of the home theater. A family of four wants to go to the cinema, that's at least $100 if not $200 outright. Or they can watch Disney+. This is a no brainer.

jasmer 4y ago
Price. If they cut the ticket price dramatically, people would go to back to the theatre. Pricing structure for cinema is completely wrong.
- HelloNurse 4y ago
  I've had a multiplex restructured with about 25% of the seats (replacing normal, comfortable seats with ridiculous motorized reclining armchairs) and now the films I care about are frequently sold out. Their "pricing structure" cares about removing booze at the bar, making soft drinks self-service to save some labor, replacing the arcade games and bookstore that made waiting for the movies pleasant before the pandemic with a huge empty atrium to save further labor, and so on.
  - jasmer 4y ago
    Ticket revenues to to the studio, popcorn to the theatre. Studios need to drop their pants and share revenues with theatres.
  - jeff_jefferson 4y ago
    I love the new screens with the reclining chairs. I've not been to the cinema much in the last 3 years (COVID plus children) but I only go to the cinema nearby that has the armchairs.
- dageshi 4y ago
  I don't think price is really the answer. It's convenience. Is a movie worth going to see in a cinema or should I just wait to see it via streaming. The pandemic reset peoples behaviour for streaming to be the default and cinema for special occasions with movies people really want to see on a big screen. It seems like when people do want to go to the movies they want to see stuff on the biggest and best premium screens and they'll pay for that as well because they're going less frequently. Streaming has both a convenience and a price advantage, damned hard to compete with that.
  - juve1996 4y ago
    > I don't think price is really the answer. It's convenience. Is a movie worth going to see in a cinema or should I just wait to see it via streaming. Not really different than waiting for the DVD, though, is it? I think price is definitely part of the equation. Going to the theater is a nice way to get out of the house. That argument gets worse and worse as you realize you're paying $20 for popcorn and an extra $10 for a drink. Add in the ticket costs and a family of 4, and it just becomes prohibitively expensive for what you're getting.
    - jasmer 4y ago
      The theatre is fun and people would do it if it didn't break the bank.
    - dageshi 4y ago
      Movies are hitting streaming a month or less after hitting theaters nowadays, DVD's used to take a lot lot longer than that to come out after the theatrical run. So yes, it is different. People have been complaining about the cost of going to the cinema for years, it's not a new complaint, I don't think it explains why behavior suddenly changed this year. I think Streaming with its massive quantity of content does, you won't have to wait long for a movie you're kind of interested to be available and there's plenty to watch in the meantime.
      - fmajid 4y ago
mcalus3 4y ago
In Poland cinema ticket costs ~5$. Is it really 10 times more expensive in USA? Why?
- WA 4y ago
  Germany, Cinemaxx, Avatar in 3D at prime time: €17.49 without food and drinks. (includes half an hour of ads before the movie starts, at least that is what it used to be 5-10 years ago, I haven’t been to a cinema in years)
  - Dudeman112 4y ago
    Here in England Vue also includes half an hour of ads before the movie starts At least it seems to be consistent i.e. you can schedule to get in there 25 minutes late
- wongarsu 4y ago
  Just next door to Poland, in Germany, it's already $15 per ticket. And at least with adults or teenagers it's very easy to spend another $10 per person on snacks and something to drink, which already pushes you to $100 for four people.
  - thaumasiotes 4y ago
    At my local theater in California, an adult ticket to see A Man Called Otto at 7:30 pm is $11.75 and a child is $8.50. So a family of four would be spending $40 - $50 to see the film. Avatar: The Way of Water at 6:30 has the same pricing. A package of candy from a local store will be $1.50 - $3. (Each.) There's no way you're getting up to $100. (You could spend more by buying food inside the theater, but you'd have to be stupid to go for that.)
  - pipo234 4y ago
    > another $10 per person on snacks and something to drink Fair enough - Netflix doesn't charge $10 for snacks & drinks, but I don't get them either. Similarly, a glass of wine in a restaurant is "overpriced" compared to drinking on your home cough from a liquor store. What I mean is: make a fair comparison, please. Different experience, different price. (Though I concur that Poland ticket price sounds much more reasonable)
andirk 4y ago
I thought the super hero movies had the movie theaters cornered for the past 10 years. And now there are popular films that aren't a super hero fighting another super hero in a melee battle despite the fact they have superpowers. That could explain lower sales to at least some degree. And it looks like one of the recent big hits "Ruthkanda Forever" got poor ratings probably due to being a bad movie. The industry may try to backpedal to pirates vs vampires soon.

by chx 4y ago

jasmer 4y ago

Price. If they cut the ticket price dramatically, people would go to back to the theatre. Pricing structure for cinema is completely wrong.

HelloNurse 4y ago
I've had a multiplex restructured with about 25% of the seats (replacing normal, comfortable seats with ridiculous motorized reclining armchairs) and now the films I care about are frequently sold out. Their "pricing structure" cares about removing booze at the bar, making soft drinks self-service to save some labor, replacing the arcade games and bookstore that made waiting for the movies pleasant before the pandemic with a huge empty atrium to save further labor, and so on.
- jasmer 4y ago
  Ticket revenues to to the studio, popcorn to the theatre. Studios need to drop their pants and share revenues with theatres.
- jeff_jefferson 4y ago
  I love the new screens with the reclining chairs. I've not been to the cinema much in the last 3 years (COVID plus children) but I only go to the cinema nearby that has the armchairs.
dageshi 4y ago
I don't think price is really the answer. It's convenience. Is a movie worth going to see in a cinema or should I just wait to see it via streaming. The pandemic reset peoples behaviour for streaming to be the default and cinema for special occasions with movies people really want to see on a big screen. It seems like when people do want to go to the movies they want to see stuff on the biggest and best premium screens and they'll pay for that as well because they're going less frequently. Streaming has both a convenience and a price advantage, damned hard to compete with that.
- juve1996 4y ago
  > I don't think price is really the answer. It's convenience. Is a movie worth going to see in a cinema or should I just wait to see it via streaming. Not really different than waiting for the DVD, though, is it? I think price is definitely part of the equation. Going to the theater is a nice way to get out of the house. That argument gets worse and worse as you realize you're paying $20 for popcorn and an extra $10 for a drink. Add in the ticket costs and a family of 4, and it just becomes prohibitively expensive for what you're getting.
  - jasmer 4y ago
    The theatre is fun and people would do it if it didn't break the bank.
  - dageshi 4y ago
    Movies are hitting streaming a month or less after hitting theaters nowadays, DVD's used to take a lot lot longer than that to come out after the theatrical run. So yes, it is different. People have been complaining about the cost of going to the cinema for years, it's not a new complaint, I don't think it explains why behavior suddenly changed this year. I think Streaming with its massive quantity of content does, you won't have to wait long for a movie you're kind of interested to be available and there's plenty to watch in the meantime.
    - fmajid 4y ago

mcalus3 4y ago

In Poland cinema ticket costs ~5$. Is it really 10 times more expensive in USA? Why?

WA 4y ago
Germany, Cinemaxx, Avatar in 3D at prime time: €17.49 without food and drinks. (includes half an hour of ads before the movie starts, at least that is what it used to be 5-10 years ago, I haven’t been to a cinema in years)
- Dudeman112 4y ago
  Here in England Vue also includes half an hour of ads before the movie starts At least it seems to be consistent i.e. you can schedule to get in there 25 minutes late
wongarsu 4y ago
Just next door to Poland, in Germany, it's already $15 per ticket. And at least with adults or teenagers it's very easy to spend another $10 per person on snacks and something to drink, which already pushes you to $100 for four people.
- thaumasiotes 4y ago
  At my local theater in California, an adult ticket to see A Man Called Otto at 7:30 pm is $11.75 and a child is $8.50. So a family of four would be spending $40 - $50 to see the film. Avatar: The Way of Water at 6:30 has the same pricing. A package of candy from a local store will be $1.50 - $3. (Each.) There's no way you're getting up to $100. (You could spend more by buying food inside the theater, but you'd have to be stupid to go for that.)
- pipo234 4y ago
  > another $10 per person on snacks and something to drink Fair enough - Netflix doesn't charge $10 for snacks & drinks, but I don't get them either. Similarly, a glass of wine in a restaurant is "overpriced" compared to drinking on your home cough from a liquor store. What I mean is: make a fair comparison, please. Different experience, different price. (Though I concur that Poland ticket price sounds much more reasonable)

andirk 4y ago

I thought the super hero movies had the movie theaters cornered for the past 10 years. And now there are popular films that aren't a super hero fighting another super hero in a melee battle despite the fact they have superpowers. That could explain lower sales to at least some degree. And it looks like one of the recent big hits "Ruthkanda Forever" got poor ratings probably due to being a bad movie. The industry may try to backpedal to pirates vs vampires soon.