Universal Studios video-on-demand release of "Wizard Elf 2" was blocked by the world's largest cinema
on-line? Offline? The movie theater is in love with each other
The world's number one cinema line AMC will reopen in North America on July 15th, but there are no Universal Studios movies among the movies currently scheduled for screening. AMC has apparently been in trouble with Universal Pictures. The reason is actually the dispute between online and offline movie screening.
Will the friendship boat turn over?
AMC said it would no longer show any movies around the world
Universal Studios and AMC "Friendship Boat" said the reason for the flip is that April 10th this year-Universal Studios chose to release "Wizard Elf 2" in the form of video on demand instead of waiting for the epidemic to end again. Theater release. The film earned $100 million in video-on-demand revenue in the first three weeks of its release in North America, and successfully recovered its costs.
You know, the predecessor of "Mad Elf 2" and the "Mad Elf" released in theaters in 2016 in the first three weeks at the box office in North America were only $116 million. In this regard, Jeff Hill, CEO of Global Group, could not conceal his inner joy in an interview with the Wall Street Journal: "The income of Devil Elf 2 has exceeded our expectations, which proves the video-on-demand model The vitality of the movie. Even after the theater reopens, we hope to release movies in both online and offline modes."
Normally, theaters require a 90-day window period between the release of a movie on-site and the provision of home rentals or digital downloads. Global Group CEO Jeff Hill clearly broke this window period. Adam Allen, chairman and chief executive officer of AMC Cinemas, immediately wrote a very fiercely open letter to Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Film Entertainment Group, in which he clearly stated that Jeff Hill’s remarks were not allowed Accepted, and solemnly declare: "AMC Theater will not show any films of Universal Corporation in theaters in the United States, Europe or the Middle East, and will take effect immediately."
What's wrong with Universal Pictures?
"Online screening is very good" makes the cinema line too heartwarming
Today's movie theaters have been tossed to death by the epidemic. Anxiety, depression and anger are extremely fragile and sensitive, and Universal Pictures' experience of the "online screening feels very good" industry experience undoubtedly makes AMC feel too worried.
Affected by the epidemic, about 27,000 employees under the AMC theater line were forced to take vacations. On April 16, the company announced a new debt plan to raise US$500 million to improve its balance sheet.
After AMC announced the resumption of work, it also caused a little trouble because of the problem of wearing a mask. At the beginning, AMC said in an interview with the media that after the theater opened, employees would wear masks and measure body temperature, but would not force the audience to wear masks. This overly accommodative policy was criticized by the public, so AMC immediately "reversed" and issued a statement requiring all American audiences to wear masks when entering the AMC theater.
For the small problem of wearing a mask, AMC corrects the deviation very quickly, but for the problem of Universal Pictures, AMC will never give in, and it is necessary to follow the posture of Universal Pictures. But is Universal Pictures really wrong? It seems that there is no such thing. Maybe it is something that should be secretly holding the wallet. It has become a high-profile industry trend, which makes the movie theaters in deep water feel that the fire has been fueled. Coincidentally, AMC was declared bankrupt by Wall Street because of the impact of the epidemic. Universal Pictures advocated the attitude of "laughing alive" by virtue of the Internet. For the endangered AMC, it was really shocking.
Triggering Hollywood change?
Film companies have launched their own streaming services
AMC's sword of resistance is also aimed at any film producer who wants to unilaterally abandon the current theater window period. However, no company has dared to publish its online development ambitions so clearly. Therefore, Universal Pictures is the biggest target.
The chairman and CEO of the National Association of Cinema Owners, John F. Xian, stood on the side of AMC and felt that Universal Pictures used the abnormal environment as a springboard to bypass the real theater release. To put it plainly, he made a profit by taking advantage of the epidemic. It showed the ungrateful expression of singing the traditional cinema.
This surprised the whole world, and the trouble was not a small one. However, Universal is the one that made the "Speed and Passion" series, which is not so easy to soften. It immediately responded that AMC and the National Association of National Theater Owners overreacted, interpreting its own language incorrectly and "trying to confuse the problem." ".
In fact, the contradiction between streaming media and traditional cinemas is almost inborn, just look at how Netflix (online video rental provider) was initially excluded. However, the traditional film industry also had to admit that the prospects of streaming media were promising, which triggered a revolution in Hollywood. In 2019, the five major Hollywood companies have all laid out and launched their own streaming services. Disney launched Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ matrix; Warner Media officially launched its own streaming platform HBO MAX in July 2019; Universal Pictures Then announced the opening of streaming media service platform-Peacock.
During the epidemic, the Hollywood film company's streaming media platform was able to accept a test drive on this new track, and "Wizard Elf 2" ran smoothly, which is a good result of the fusion of traditional and online platforms by Universal Pictures.
Theater uniqueness will be replaced?
Online and offline love and killing will continue
Both AMC and Universal Pictures stand on their own long-term development perspective. No one is wrong, and everyone wants to maximize their own interests. In addition to "Wizard 2", Warner Bros. cartoon "Scooby Dog", and Disney's fantasy blockbuster "Artemis' Fantasy Adventure", Paramount's live-action movie "SpongeBob: Rescue Adventure" They also canceled theater screenings and broadcasted directly through video-on-demand.
The cinema does have its irreplaceable uniqueness, but with the change of society and the development of the Internet, the traditional cinema is bound to be part of the cheese, and the love and killing between online and offline will continue, but both parties must Will form a delicate balance of common development.
Now Universal Studios has broken this balance, not only disturbing the cinema line, but also spreading a lot of salt on their epidemic wounds. As Hollywood theater managers have said, they understand the approach of Universal Studios, but the approach of Universal Studios is indeed a fatal blow to cinema entities around the world.
Text / reporter Xiao Yang co-ordinating / Liu Jianghua