Is Hollywood in a Good Movie Making Slump?

The 2017 Oscars were monumental in movie-making history. Call Me by Your Name. Hidden Figures. Fences. La La Land. Moonlight. Lion. I mean, the list can go on, and on. This was the peak time for movie-goers as well as movie theatres, so what happened? 

Only so much can be blamed on the pandemic. Sure, the lack of productivity is understood, given movie theatres and sets were shut down. However, now that the world is taking a step toward normalcy; viewers are expecting a solid movie-making boom. Will they receive that? 

Judging from Oscar nominations this year along with independent movies released within the past twelve months, this boom has yet to be achieved. Rather, it is being executed more discretely. Streaming services.

This streaming service craze began with Mulan, which was released on March 9th, 2020, which is also when, you know, the world shut down. Acting accordingly, Disney needed to gain profit as well as reach a target audience. With that being said, Disney Plus charged viewers an additional thirty dollars for their monthly subscription to view the film. Many people paid the price to view this highly anticipated feature. 

Suddenly, other streaming services were following suit, sans additional fee. After HBO’s merger with Warner Media, they began releasing films in theatres, but simultaneously on HBO Max. This strategy was first seen with Wonder Woman 1984. According to CNBC, Wonder Woman amassed over $16.7 million in box office sales, but the streaming service numbers were not given to the public. However, the streaming service numbers are predicted to be much higher than theatres. 

Later in October of 2021, Dune, starring Timothee Chalemet, was released both in theatres and on HBO Max. At this point in the pandemic, a majority of theatres were open, schools were back in session, and vaccines were wildly distributed among civilians. This raised a challenging feeling the simultaneous release of films may be a part of the “new normal” that everyone was wildly adjusting to. 

Those who viewed Dune understand how imperative it is to view that film in the theatres. From the cinematography to Hans Zimmer’s exceptional composition; Dune deserved the awards it won. 

Now the interesting idea is that these deals are made solely between production companies and streaming services, leaving the directors and more out of the decision.

With that being said, Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins, and Dune director, Denis Villeneuve both spoke against this deal. Jenkins discouraged this in a New York Times article, saying, “I would like to believe that it is temporary, but I’m not sure I do…the studios that make this radical change… particularly without consulting the artists, will end up with a very empty slate of quality filmmakers working there.” 

Dune’s Denis Villeneuve wrote his article for Variety, describing his experience with finding out Dune was streaming on HBO Max as well as in theatres. He writes, “I want the audience to understand that streaming alone can’t sustain the film industry as we knew it before COVID. Streaming can produce great content, but not movies of “Dune’s” scope and scale…”

Denis closes this profound article (which I highly encourage you all to read) “Cinema on the big screen is more than a business, it is an art form that brings people together, celebrating humanity, enhancing our empathy for one another — it’s one of the very last artistic, in-person collective experiences we share as human beings.”

Saying Hollywood is in a good movie making slump is simply an observation to the art that is being made. However, I fully believe that we are viewing the past few years of cinema as meniscul because the whole experience of going to a movie has been diminished. Like Villeneuve said, there is something special about going to the theatres. Having no external distractions. Simply, the viewer and the film. 

Being able to sit and watch a full movie, with no control, is a gift. This gift is something that humans are beginning to lack. As humans rapidly developing alongside social media, our attention spans lack and our time is filled with other priorities. Like any business, the end of movie theatres is quite possible, and the pandemic only worsened this fear. 

Now, we cannot change our habits, as I, just like most, love the feeling of viewing a movie in the comfort of my own home. What we can do is remember the feeling that movie theatres provide. The cracking popcorn, astonishing previews that some love, and others despise. The refreshments. Overpriced candy.

Films are made to be projected on the big screen. Always have been always will be. As a service to the hundreds of people who worked tirelessly to bring character’s stories to life, it is imperative to view a film how the director intended it to be watched. The power of cinema is one that should not be overlooked because of economic and cultural priorities. Film originated and continues to be a strong art form that impacts all who accept it, let us accept the power of creativity and listen to the pleas from filmmakers alike.