5 years ago, the epidemic closed the cinemas

Five years ago, the world changed in the face of the Covid-19s. What started in China is spreading quickly all over the world, creating an international crisis that neither of us had in our lives. What led to it is a semi -commercial closure that focuses on gatherings. Calling from person to person was dangerous, which made internal activities with strangers impossible.

As a result, by March 20, 2020, thanks to the orders of widespread residence, every movie in North America-and all over the world-was forced to temporarily close its doors. Hollywood made signs that this epidemic was very dangerous, With “James Bond” “No Time to die”, its global release is delayed in early MarchAnd that was not a small thing. Film festivals have been canceled. The box office was supported by cinemas throughout the country. It was great, but it was supposed to be temporary as well.

Unfortunately, by the time of chains such as AMC and Regal He was allowed to reopen their doors for movies such as “Tenit” Christopher Nolan And “Marvel New Mutants”, they were doing this in a media scene that was largely changed. Hollywood threw a brick on the pedal when it comes to the future. Before the epidemic, Netflix rule this space, with Hulu and other competitors there are fighting for a piece. By the end of 2020, though, we have Disney+, Apple TV+and HBO Max (now only Max), Peacock, with Paramount+and others just around the corner.

It was more transforming is the appearance of Pvod, also known as the distinguished video on request. VOD was something for years, but when the theaters were closed, Studios released films working at the box office at home for $ 20 for rent. It was a sharp price that people were at home ready to pay. when The Universal “Trolls World Tour”, a possible theatrical version, was released at home in April 2020The Pandora box has been opened permanently. Theaters will have to struggle to maintain from that point, even without threatening a global pandemic waving on the horizon.

By the time when it took place in 2021, the vaccines became available and the direct threat of the epidemic was relieved. Hollywood has started to schedule big movies, such as “Godzilla Vs. Kong” and “The Fast Saga”. Unfortunately, the studios are all all in broadcasting and unconfirmed in terms of tickets. This was clear when Warner Bros. announced. It will display the entire 2021 movies list in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. This decision is understood, angry at chains like AMC. It also did not make the stars or directors very happy.

This would have led to ticket sales in a year when theaters needed more than others – and I did so. In part of it, thanks to such decisions, the box office recovery was much slower than anyone expected. Certainly, films such as “Godzilla Vs. Kong” were relatively successful, but much had to do with non -competition. At the total level, many films were released and were residing in theaters for shorter periods of time. He raised the employer’s business model in a large and bad way.

this Why did the parent company, CineWorld, have to submit a bankruptcy request In 2022 (the reason is largely, the AMC theaters are burdened with billions in debt). For this reason, Sony Pictures entered to purchase the popular Alamo Drafthouse regional Alamo Drafthouse Theater series in 2024. Before the epidemic, the box office had the highest record in 2019 when global ticket sales reached 42 billion dollars. Disney alone achieved more than $ 13 billion in that yearWith nine huge films, with a total of $ 1 billion during this framework. But that was then. That’s now.

The box office success has been reduced by force during the past five years, as it becomes clear from the fact that only nine films are only one billion dollars since 2019. At the same time, theaters continued in large setbacks, such as WGA and SAG in 2023. For this reason, the local box office fell to $ 8.5 billion in 2024 yet A total of 9 billion dollars in 2023. now? 2025 is going more behind last year. Behind the days of the domestic box office, it may be up to $ 10 billion annually, despite inflation. This problem is translated all over the world as well.

Before the epidemic, Hollywood was increasingly dependent on strong ticket sales from China. now? The visits in China are few and far for American films, as Chinese fans are increasingly prefer local films. This takes more money from the table. The masses are also much more content to watch movies at home. And why should they not be? Even major films are now available in some cases less than three weeks after reaching theaters for the first time. The “Wait To Stream” mentality has already been established, killing many types of films that were used to find success at the box office.

For this reason Netflix alone achieved more revenues than the entire global box office in 2024. The broadcast can result in revenues, but nothing like the old DVD era. VOD can definitely help change the movie’s wealth, but this does nothing to help keep the lights of the smaller theater chains that need a chain of films (unlike the terrible drought seizures between salted visits).

One of the biggest problems now is even once, the Slam Dunk strikes do not occur as before. It will hardly remove “Captain America: a new brave world”, Brav New will prefer 400 million dollars worldwide. Automatic super films are no longer $ 1 billion. Again, this creates a much lower certainty for theaters, which only increases the complexity of things.

There are a lot of nuances that can fill a book, but the important point is that the cinemas are in an unenviable position now. Meanwhile, Hollywood calculates the idea that making a profitable broadcast is a difficult suggestion. The fact of the matter is that the studios need theaters to survive, and that a series of decisions that were short -sighted, have changed consumer habits, and perhaps irreversible. Theaters are starving to death.

So, what is the answer? Is there hope? Could lowering ticket prices be seduced by film pioneers by returning to cinemas? More frequent? Perhaps, but tickets are more likely to become more expensive. It may make theaters part of Mixed entertainment centers that include everything from the corridors to throwing the axFor the best or for the worst. Amc CEO certainly believes Return to exclusive theatrical windows for a longer period of time.

What we can categorically say is that the days of going to movies just to go to movies have been given. The recovery that the industry hoped would never come. After five years, the theaters face new, unconfirmed natural theaters.