Entertainment Weekly interviewed dozens of filmmakers, actors, and other Hollywood players for their Hollywood 2032 special feature, looking at what the future may hold for the entertainment industry. This week’s chapter focused on the future of movies and movie theatre.
M. Night Shyamalan insists that “Movie theaters aren’t going anywhere! We need to be with each other. And experiencing a story together will be even more precious, even more powerful.” Some suggest that a night at the movies is becoming more of an “event,” alongside the convenience of streaming at home. You can sustain yourself with a meal from the refrigerator but dinner at a favorite restaurant is a special treat worthy of the investment. Expect tiered pricing on movie tickets, where a weekend premiere of the latest blockbuster costs more than a Tuesday screening of an indie film.
Jane Rosenthal, the co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, suggests that exhibitors have to up their game in terms of physical comforts and other amenities. “We’ve got to fix up the theaters, so that people say, ‘I want to be here, and I want an experience that takes me beyond just watching something on a screen.’”
Netflix’s global film head Scott Stuber envisions more creative uses of the theatre space, as a venue for enjoying sporting events with a big-screen presentation and surround sound.