After surveying the pandemic landscape for film distribution, The Atlantic’s culture reporter David Sims concludes that a more traditional approach will inevitably return, driven by consumer preference and financial incentives. Inevitably, movie fans will once again return to movie-going, as they did in China, Japan, and Australia once the spread of the coronavirus had been brought under control. Studios have concluded that streaming is not the best platform for the action, Sci-Fi, and fantasy films that target an adult audience and have traditionally been the highest box office performers.
Within the world of Art Houses, virtual cinema has drawn interest during the pandemic, but not much volume. Kudos for the effort, but as it turns out the venue itself and the communal experience is indispensable part of enjoying the movie. Eleanor Stacey, the Executive Director of the Civic Theatre in Nelson, British Columbia, offered her optimistic outlook in an article entitled “The future of cinema is bright”, published in her local Nelson Star newspaper. A reader and member of the Nelson Civic Theatre Society commented, “I can hardly wait for the re-opening of the Civic Theatre. I miss the real movies, the evening out, and the popcorn.”
See also: The future of cinema is bright (Nelson Star)