The End of 2020 and Looking Forward to 2021
The end of this long and strange year is finally upon us. After a year that was filled with unprecedented theater shutdowns, film delays and all-around scrambles by film production and distribution companies, it was expected that things would have to change for the film industry to see some sort of success in the upcoming year. Warner Bros. and HBO Max were the first ones to jump the gun and make a decision that has sent a shockwave through the entire film industry. Warner Bros. has decided to release all of their big-budget 2021 releases simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. This decision was already made for Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984, but just shortly after that announcement, the studio decided to put all of their 2021 releases on the streaming platform. These future releases include the blockbuster monster mashup, Godzilla v. Kong, along with Denis Villeneuve’s star-studded adaption, DUNE, and the long awaited The Matrix 4.
Warner’s decision to put a large comic book film like Wonder Woman on the streaming service was already groundbreaking, but now to put other large budget films on the platform has people reacting differently. World-renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan has always had gripes with streaming companies, and he continued this after ripping Warner for their decision. The viewing public is split between those who enjoy going to theaters and those who just want to see the films. As for Warner, well, they figured this was the only way they could recoup the money they invested in these films. Will it work? Will it change the movie viewing experience forever? We shall all see come 2021.
In regard to Disney and Disney+ in particular, they have what some are considering one of the best animated films of the year coming out on Christmas day. Soul is about a musician who has lost his passion for music and is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself. The film is led by the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Donnell Rawlings, Angela Bassett, and many more. Soul is the sort of Pixar film that would generally do well in theaters, but with it being a family-oriented film, this should do very well on the streaming service as well. Perhaps there is a middle ground for streaming and theatrical releases after all.
Box Office Roundup and Looking Ahead: Released on November 25th, The Croods: A New Age, has seen a surprising success domestically. The film, with voices from Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds and more, has grossed $25 million domestically and $77 million worldwide. A large and surprising success for the animated film. Outside of the US, China continues to see box office success with Mu Yu Zhi Wang (Bath Buddy). The comedy film was released on December 11th and grossed near $29 million in its opening weekend.
Looking ahead, it’s hard to say what 2021 will hold for the film industry. The move by Warner and HBO Max has changed the outlook drastically and has sent some production studios into a panic. Not every film studio has the luxury of having contracts with the streaming giants of the world. Disney’s reluctance to follow Warner is a good sign for smaller studios because it prevents them from being backed into a corner. Hopefully, the country will open back up and theater-going will return, but for the time being, we’ll all continue to monitor how this situation plays out.
