How many times have you heard the phrase, ”Thank god I’ve had Netflix to get me through quarantine“, over the course of the past seven months? Probably a lot.
In many instances, it’s true! Thank god for Netflix. What would we do without it? I mean, I myself zipped through over 100 episodes of The Office at the beginning of the virus in a matter of a few short weeks. Words can’t describe how good it felt. The Office and the show’s characters were constantly ruminating in my head, daily.
Americans love their shows. But they also love movies. Fortunately for us, streaming services have, in recent years, begun bringing big-time Hollywood films to American homes.
It is a phenomenon that is relatively new, but one that appears to be on an upward trend.
Bird Box, The Irishman, Borat 2… these are just a few of the more notable names that have elected to go the route of streaming services.
Financially, it just may make sense. Through cutting out the middle man, there seems to be an opportunity for larger profit if going the route of streaming.
There have been rumors in recent weeks that No Time To Die, the highly-anticipated new James Bond film that had been scheduled to come out in April, is exploring potential streaming options for its official release.
While Netflix and other services began streaming movies well before COVID 19, the virus has seemed to only further encourage the trend.
While we may be itching for big name films and shows that have been delayed to come out via streaming service during the pandemic, do we really think it is the best way to go long term?
Wouldn’t we miss the allure of the movie theatre? The popcorn, the comfy reclining seats… I could go on and on. For me, while I don’t obsess over going to the theatre, I do enjoy it sparingly.
In addition to streaming services potentially being more lucrative for films, you also have to consider the price of admission for the average American to a local theatre. That shit is expensive! Between a ticket, popcorn and a drink, you’re probably looking at like $100 for a family of five to hit the theatre.
You can watch the same film at home for a mere total of $20 for the entire family, no matter the size.
Something to think about. It will be interesting to see the route the entertainment industry elects to pursue as time goes on.
For now, I’m just hoping James Bond comes out sometime soon… shaken, not stirred. 🍸
I certainly agree- the movie theatre industry is in trouble- Netflix increasing monthly charge to $17.95 and Warner Brothers decision to release movies for streaming at same time as theatre release.Not a good omen for movie theatres.