The movie experience has to change (2 Viewers)

[TripItUp]

I'm a rich guy so price doesn't bother me. Here in SD we have Cinepolis which is an upscale theatre that we go to,...spaced recliner seats, food and beverage service at seat etc.....the problem is there haven't been many movies we want to see on the big screen since the pandemic.

Since the pademic we've seen Maverick, Indiana Jones V, Elvis and the Northman.

I plan on seeing Oppenheimer and Dune sequel in theatre as well...so this will be the most we've gone to a theatre since the pandemic.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Yeah the guy snoring next to me today in the movie was great

It's not my fault the movie sucked.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I mean…….even the kids movies stink these days. What happened to Pixar? Turning Red, Lightyear and Elemental were their last 3. I’ve seen all three cause I have two young kids. They were OK but compared to some of their previous efforts, they were straight garbage.

 

[Ilov80s]

I mean Prime (which is its own beast) spend a billion on a terrible LOTR series hardly anyone watched.

Wait ... what?

Is that strictly movie-making budget -- like they basically made 3 to 5 Marvel tentpoles, and spent like it? Or was that also rights, marketing (which should be cheap for a streaming service -- are you paying yourself for on-service ads?), etc.

(My wife and I enjoyed that series, for what that's worth. Even liked the recent Willow series. I guess we're easy)

EDIT:

"Amazon said the season was the most-watched of any Prime Video original series ..."

Maybe that's like "the tallest Smurf" -- I don't know.

The first episode was watched by 25 million people (according to Amazon who I don't believe release their actual data- neither does Netflix). Hollwood Reporter's examination of it said only 37% of those people finished the season.

You Didn't Finish Watching the Lord of the Rings TV Show

Yes, lots of people saw the first episode of Rings of Power, but the last episode? Not so much.

gizmodo.com

Also it looks like they got the budget down top $750 million but they also ordered a 2nd season before the initial season even premiered. Will that be another $750 or will they slash the heck out of that budget after how LOTR finished?

 

[Ilov80s]

I mean…….even the kids movies stink these days. What happened to Pixar? Turning Red, Lightyear and Elemental were their last 3. I’ve seen all three cause I have two young kids. They were OK but compared to some of their previous efforts, they were straight garbage.

The new Spiderverse has a lot of people calling it possibly the greatest animated movie ever made. The last one was incredible and I don't like Spiderman or animation very much.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I mean…….even the kids movies stink these days. What happened to Pixar? Turning Red, Lightyear and Elemental were their last 3. I’ve seen all three cause I have two young kids. They were OK but compared to some of their previous efforts, they were straight garbage.

The new Spiderverse has a lot of people calling it possibly the greatest animated movie ever made. The last one was incredible and I don't like Spiderman or animation very much.

I loved the two Spiderverse movies. Was talking younger kids movies.

 

[Ilov80s]

I mean…….even the kids movies stink these days. What happened to Pixar? Turning Red, Lightyear and Elemental were their last 3. I’ve seen all three cause I have two young kids. They were OK but compared to some of their previous efforts, they were straight garbage.

The new Spiderverse has a lot of people calling it possibly the greatest animated movie ever made. The last one was incredible and I don't like Spiderman or animation very much.

I loved the two Spiderverse movies. Was talking younger kids movies.

Gotcha, I don't have kids so I am kind of clueless at what age a kid would or wouldn't watch that.

 

[kupcho1]

Can't wait to see Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken on the big screen.

Thanks Dreamworks!

 

[Ilov80s]

I'm a rich guy so price doesn't bother me. Here in SD we have Cinepolis which is an upscale theatre that we go to,...spaced recliner seats, food and beverage service at seat etc.....the problem is there haven't been many movies we want to see on the big screen since the pandemic.

Since the pademic we've seen Maverick, Indiana Jones V, Elvis and the Northmen.

I plan on seeing Oppenheimer and Dune sequel in theatre as well...so this will be the most we've gone to a theatre since the pandemic.

I will be seeing those. Also Barbie, think we might be doing a double date opening Friday for Barbie and Oppenheimer with drinks and food mixed in. I will also see the new MI. I could be talked into Indy but won't go out of my way.

I will also likely see Past Lives and Asteroid City this week/weekend.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I mean…….even the kids movies stink these days. What happened to Pixar? Turning Red, Lightyear and Elemental were their last 3. I’ve seen all three cause I have two young kids. They were OK but compared to some of their previous efforts, they were straight garbage.

The new Spiderverse has a lot of people calling it possibly the greatest animated movie ever made. The last one was incredible and I don't like Spiderman or animation very much.

I loved the two Spiderverse movies. Was talking younger kids movies.

Gotcha, I don't have kids so I am kind of clueless at what age a kid would or wouldn't watch that.

Super Mario movie was a blast, but also the exact thing I ***** about. I pretty much agree with FP about kids movies. We tend to still watch the older Pixar movies and stuff like Kicking and Screaming that I watched years ago with the first.

 

[Bri]

If they spend 50 bil on an Adam Sandler movie that never makes the theater

Sandler's movies (and more movies of that type) should be pretty cheap to make and I believe they rate very well for Netflix (FWIW). Not sure if the monetization works out right, but just looking at surface info ... I'd think Netflix would want to bankroll as many Sandler films as he can crank out.

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?
Is there an roi here?
I think Bagel was saying this better than I earlier

 

[Ilov80s]

If they spend 50 bil on an Adam Sandler movie that never makes the theater

Sandler's movies (and more movies of that type) should be pretty cheap to make and I believe they rate very well for Netflix (FWIW). Not sure if the monetization works out right, but just looking at surface info ... I'd think Netflix would want to bankroll as many Sandler films as he can crank out.

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?
Is there an roi here?
I think Bagel was saying this better than I earlier

That was why the Wednesday show was so big for Netflix. Besides being highly watched, it was being watched by a demographic Netflix had trouble tapping into. Unfortunately for them they don’t own the rights to the Adams Family Universe and have to pay a pretty penny to keep it on NF.

 

[NutterButter]

I'm just not a movie theater guy no matter what they do to change it, but last year seeing top gun in those recliners they have now with all the extra space around you was pretty awesome. There wasn't one thing I'd change about that.

 

[Doug B]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

 

[fruity pebbles]

Watching Dune again right now. Had forgotten how friggin good it is. Next one is going to be an awesome theater experience.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

 

[Fat Nick]

Honestly, the main reason I don't go to theater movies as often is simply the convenience factor, and the fact that other people generally annoy me. It sounds sad, but it's true. The majority of people are unaware or don't care about how their actions impact others. Cell phones, kids talking and running all over the place, candy wrappers, etc. Plus, COVID has instilled in me a higher level of "cleanliness awareness," where something like sitting in a public seat that someone else sat in makes me much more uneasy than it did 4 years ago. Top it off with the fact that I have an awesome projector/home theater set-up in my basement where I can sit with the family, eat dinner, then crash on the lounger and watch movies in the comfort of my own home, and I rarely have the urge to go out for a movie.

With that said...I refuse to go to general admission theaters anymore. Going and having to "find" a seat? Forget it. I'll pay a premium for reserved seating, especially recliners or lounge seating. Basically, if I'm going to go deal with strangers, I'll pay for what I want. My parents live in a tiny town on the eastern shore of MD. There is a theater 20 minutes from them that honestly I really like...It's small (4 theaters), but it's newer, clean, and offers reserved recliners in the back half, and general admission in the front. It's never full (at least not when I've gone - admittedly not for big releases or anything), and they have reasonably priced concessions, and a butter tap where you can put as much butter on your popcorn as you want. I'll take that over the Mega-cinema near us in NJ any day....but still won't take either over my home theater.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Is this the thread where old guys come to complain about stuff and talk about how things were better "back in my day"?

Not really, no. It's more about how movie theaters have struggled to keep up with the times, e.g. streaming.

Edit: I mean, is it not universally understood that movie theaters are in serious trouble and are probably dying out for good? What a weird thing to hit with the "get off my lawn" trope.

 

[belljr]

I was surprised to read that all movie theaters haven't converted over to the bigger chairs etc.

All the theaters near we have switched over a long time ago...... It made me enjoy going for a while.

 

[JohnnyU]

I like getting out of the house and going to the movies if there was something worth watching, such as Top Gun Maverick, but the quality of movies has substantially gown down the drain. There is absolutely nothing worth watching 99% of the time.

 

[Bogart]

Went to Indy V last night. Spent $25 dollars for tickets, $30 for food during the movie, $40 for drinks before and after the movie. And it was worth every penny for the experience.

Indy was a super fun movie with just the right amount of nostalgia, the theater was top notch and the company was great. Only change we would have made is that we are going to move our Wednesday date night to Tuesdays, so that when we want to take a movie in, tickets will be $5 each.

 

[Bri]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

That seems annoying to customers.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

That seems annoying to customers.

For me, yes. I also don't like much on NF. I guess the breaking point is related to how hooked on their product you and your family are.

 

[Doug B]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

That seems annoying to customers.

It is ... but streaming services are in this weird space now where they can't just count on growing their subscriber bases by leaps and bounds all the time. Gotta figure out a way to monetize things -- preferably without ticking off existing customers. Don't know if that's possible. Something's apparently got to give, though, if all these streaming services really are losing money and it's not creative accounting.

Seriously -- streamers have so many eyeballs now ... how are they screwing this up? If someone said "CBS, NBC, and ABC's over-the-air network divisions are bleeding money", that would make total sense. But streaming companies?

But then: Paying $500 million EACH for the rights to Friends and Seinfeld (in 2019!)? Another half a billion for The Office (also 2019!)? $250 million to Tolkien's heirs to make Rings of Power? Don't don't about Rings of Power ... but I'd bet it's safe to say those sitcoms have returned on those huge investments.

EDIT: Holey smokes -- The Big Bang Theory streaming rights were north of $600 million - also in 2019. Two and a Half Men also wasn't cheap. I guess, going on four years later, those other shoes are now dropping all over the place.

 

[Boston]

I like getting out of the house and going to the movies if there was something worth watching, such as Top Gun Maverick, but the quality of movies has substantially gown down the drain. There is absolutely nothing worth watching 99% of the time.

For all the talk that is easily the biggest issue for me...there is a bigger and bigger gap between the entertainment industry and mainstream audiences...just keep it freakin' simple and entertain me (Maverick is the perfect example)...and for many movies you don't need overpriced "stars" or over-the-top special effects or some deep message...give me some "Brothers McMullen" stuff that is cheap to make and fun to watch.

 

[ChicoCat]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

That seems annoying to customers.

It is ... but streaming services are in this weird space now where they can't just count on growing their subscriber bases by leaps and bounds all the time. Gotta figure out a way to monetize things -- preferably without ticking off existing customers. Don't know if that's possible. Something's apparently got to give, though, if all these streaming services really are losing money and it's not creative accounting.

Seriously -- streamers have so many eyeballs now ... how are they screwing this up? If someone said "CBS, NBC, and ABC's over-the-air network divisions are bleeding money", that would make total sense. But streaming companies?

But then: Paying $500 million EACH for the rights to Friends and Seinfeld (in 2019!)? Another half a billion for The Office (also 2019!)? $250 million to Tolkien's heirs to make Rings of Power? Don't don't about Rings of Power ... but I'd bet it's safe to say those sitcoms have returned on those huge investments.

EDIT: Holey smokes -- The Big Bang Theory streaming rights were north of $600 million - also in 2019. Two and a Half Men also wasn't cheap. I guess, going on four years later, those other shoes are now dropping all over the place.

Some have already started selling their original content to other streamers/entertainment outlets. HBO/HBOMAX/MAX....whatever the heck its called has released shows like Westworld, Silicon Valley and True Blood to other channels.

Some will use their parent company to try and generate subscription rates by showing SOME of their original programs on the parent companies channel/network. This summer, Disney + was flirting with the idea of showing some of the epsidoes of The Mandalorian on ABC.

Some services are starting to trim their bottom line by mothballing their orignal content that wasn't that successful. I know Disney + is pulling stuff like the new Willow so they don't have to pay residuals.

ETA: I'd imagine some are flirting with the idea of releasing their original content to physical media such as Blu Ray. I've heard a number of people say they'd rather buy The Mandalorian before subscribing to Disney +.

 

[Runkle]

Honestly, the main reason I don't go to theater movies as often is simply the convenience factor, and the fact that other people generally annoy me. It sounds sad, but it's true. The majority of people are unaware or don't care about how their actions impact others. Cell phones, kids talking and running all over the place, candy wrappers, etc. Plus, COVID has instilled in me a higher level of "cleanliness awareness," where something like sitting in a public seat that someone else sat in makes me much more uneasy than it did 4 years ago. Top it off with the fact that I have an awesome projector/home theater set-up in my basement where I can sit with the family, eat dinner, then crash on the lounger and watch movies in the comfort of my own home, and I rarely have the urge to go out for a movie.

With that said...I refuse to go to general admission theaters anymore. Going and having to "find" a seat? Forget it. I'll pay a premium for reserved seating, especially recliners or lounge seating. Basically, if I'm going to go deal with strangers, I'll pay for what I want. My parents live in a tiny town on the eastern shore of MD. There is a theater 20 minutes from them that honestly I really like...It's small (4 theaters), but it's newer, clean, and offers reserved recliners in the back half, and general admission in the front. It's never full (at least not when I've gone - admittedly not for big releases or anything), and they have reasonably priced concessions, and a butter tap where you can put as much butter on your popcorn as you want. I'll take that over the Mega-cinema near us in NJ any day....but still won't take either over my home theater.

Saw Indy last night. Theater had a regular showing and the high-end $25 ticket 4DX--motion seats, water effects, etc. That's the one I picked.

Reserved seating so... I couldn't change seats when the old guy next to me pulled out his cell phone and just read on full brightness for half the film.

Family behind me had a seven-ish year old kid who talked through the most of the movie. Just chit-chat. Until the loud action scenes, when he sang.

I expressed my displeasure at the situation, but the dad just shrugged. "I can't control him."

Once the kid got tired of talking, he got up and ran up and down the aisles for 10-15 minutes. Eventually the dad sequestered him in the back row, where I think he pulled out a nintendo switch to entertain him... only for the kid to shout down to his mom after beating every whatever level in the game for the rest of the film.

Pretty average theater experience to be honest.

 

[kupcho1]

Honestly, the main reason I don't go to theater movies as often is simply the convenience factor, and the fact that other people generally annoy me. It sounds sad, but it's true. The majority of people are unaware or don't care about how their actions impact others. Cell phones, kids talking and running all over the place, candy wrappers, etc. Plus, COVID has instilled in me a higher level of "cleanliness awareness," where something like sitting in a public seat that someone else sat in makes me much more uneasy than it did 4 years ago. Top it off with the fact that I have an awesome projector/home theater set-up in my basement where I can sit with the family, eat dinner, then crash on the lounger and watch movies in the comfort of my own home, and I rarely have the urge to go out for a movie.

With that said...I refuse to go to general admission theaters anymore. Going and having to "find" a seat? Forget it. I'll pay a premium for reserved seating, especially recliners or lounge seating. Basically, if I'm going to go deal with strangers, I'll pay for what I want. My parents live in a tiny town on the eastern shore of MD. There is a theater 20 minutes from them that honestly I really like...It's small (4 theaters), but it's newer, clean, and offers reserved recliners in the back half, and general admission in the front. It's never full (at least not when I've gone - admittedly not for big releases or anything), and they have reasonably priced concessions, and a butter tap where you can put as much butter on your popcorn as you want. I'll take that over the Mega-cinema near us in NJ any day....but still won't take either over my home theater.

Saw Indy last night. Theater had a regular showing and the high-end $25 ticket 4DX--motion seats, water effects, etc. That's the one I picked.

Reserved seating so... I couldn't change seats when the old guy next to me pulled out his cell phone and just read on full brightness for half the film.

Family behind me had a seven-ish year old kid who talked through the most of the movie. Just chit-chat. Until the loud action scenes, when he sang.

I expressed my displeasure at the situation, but the dad just shrugged. "I can't control him."

Once the kid got tired of talking, he got up and ran up and down the aisles for 10-15 minutes. Eventually the dad sequestered him in the back row, where I think he pulled out a nintendo switch to entertain him... only for the kid to shout down to his mom after beating every whatever level in the game for the rest of the film.

Pretty average theater experience to be honest.

That's why I always bring a can of tuna and an opener with me.

"They Pull A Knife, You Pull A Gun. He Sends One Of Yours To The Hospital, You Send One Of His To The Morgue."

 

[SFBayDuck]

Where the hell do you people live that kids are running up and down the aisles singing while looking at their phones on full brightness while grandpa loudly saws logs and grandma does her best Stevie Nicks with a tambourine impression with a box of Junior Mints?

I don't go to the theater a ton, probably 4-6 times per year since covid, but I've never seen any of that stuff. Worst I've seen is someone pulls out a phone to check it and then puts it away.

 

[bigbottom]

Where the hell do you people live that kids are running up and down the aisles singing while looking at their phones on full brightness while grandpa loudly saws logs and grandma does her best Stevie Nicks with a tambourine impression with a box of Junior Mints?

I don't go to the theater a ton, probably 4-6 times per year since covid, but I've never seen any of that stuff. Worst I've seen is someone pulls out a phone to check it and then puts it away.

One thing I have noticed is that kids are misbehaving more at renovated theaters with the big recliners and spacious rows. Back when my kids were little, there was no room to run around or climb on your seats. There wasn't much of an option other than to just sit there. It's one of the reasons that I avoid going to the movie theater now for movies where a lot of kids are expected (the new Avatar was an exception, and yes, there were a number of really unruly kids).

 

[fruity pebbles]

Honestly, the main reason I don't go to theater movies as often is simply the convenience factor, and the fact that other people generally annoy me. It sounds sad, but it's true. The majority of people are unaware or don't care about how their actions impact others. Cell phones, kids talking and running all over the place, candy wrappers, etc. Plus, COVID has instilled in me a higher level of "cleanliness awareness," where something like sitting in a public seat that someone else sat in makes me much more uneasy than it did 4 years ago. Top it off with the fact that I have an awesome projector/home theater set-up in my basement where I can sit with the family, eat dinner, then crash on the lounger and watch movies in the comfort of my own home, and I rarely have the urge to go out for a movie.

With that said...I refuse to go to general admission theaters anymore. Going and having to "find" a seat? Forget it. I'll pay a premium for reserved seating, especially recliners or lounge seating. Basically, if I'm going to go deal with strangers, I'll pay for what I want. My parents live in a tiny town on the eastern shore of MD. There is a theater 20 minutes from them that honestly I really like...It's small (4 theaters), but it's newer, clean, and offers reserved recliners in the back half, and general admission in the front. It's never full (at least not when I've gone - admittedly not for big releases or anything), and they have reasonably priced concessions, and a butter tap where you can put as much butter on your popcorn as you want. I'll take that over the Mega-cinema near us in NJ any day....but still won't take either over my home theater.

Saw Indy last night. Theater had a regular showing and the high-end $25 ticket 4DX--motion seats, water effects, etc. That's the one I picked.

Reserved seating so... I couldn't change seats when the old guy next to me pulled out his cell phone and just read on full brightness for half the film.

Family behind me had a seven-ish year old kid who talked through the most of the movie. Just chit-chat. Until the loud action scenes, when he sang.

I expressed my displeasure at the situation, but the dad just shrugged. "I can't control him."

Once the kid got tired of talking, he got up and ran up and down the aisles for 10-15 minutes. Eventually the dad sequestered him in the back row, where I think he pulled out a nintendo switch to entertain him... only for the kid to shout down to his mom after beating every whatever level in the game for the rest of the film.

Pretty average theater experience to be honest.

I’m usually pretty reserved but if you didn’t say something to the guy next to you on his phone the whole movie……….

 

[Doug B]

Where the hell do you people live that kids are running up and down the aisles singing while looking at their phones on full brightness while grandpa loudly saws logs and grandma does her best Stevie Nicks with a tambourine impression with a box of Junior Mints?

I don't go to the theater a ton, probably 4-6 times per year since covid, but I've never seen any of that stuff. Worst I've seen is someone pulls out a phone to check it and then puts it away.

Same.

 

[Runkle]

I’m usually pretty reserved but if you didn’t say something to the guy next to you on his phone the whole movie……….

Of course I did. He gave a grumble, put it away for 10 minutes, then kept pulling it out over and over to check every so often.

People don't care if they're annoying to others. They'd rather you just leave their theater so they can scroll in peace.

 

[Bri]

I don't doubt they do well but do they bring in new subscribers?

I could be wrong, but Netflix should - at this point - be beyond “gotta get more subscribers!” as a business model. Is there no way to further monetize their current base if viewers?

Guess that would mean increasing fees (which explains a lot). Or else the eventual onset of ads? Or a bunch of pay-per-view stuff, like Stranger Things Season 5 at $3.99 an episode?

Correct - get people hooked, then do things like raise prices, go to a split pricing with adds, or start the battle over logins and passwords.

That seems annoying to customers.

It is ... but streaming services are in this weird space now where they can't just count on growing their subscriber bases by leaps and bounds all the time. Gotta figure out a way to monetize things -- preferably without ticking off existing customers. Don't know if that's possible. Something's apparently got to give, though, if all these streaming services really are losing money and it's not creative accounting.

Seriously -- streamers have so many eyeballs now ... how are they screwing this up? If someone said "CBS, NBC, and ABC's over-the-air network divisions are bleeding money", that would make total sense. But streaming companies?

But then: Paying $500 million EACH for the rights to Friends and Seinfeld (in 2019!)? Another half a billion for The Office (also 2019!)? $250 million to Tolkien's heirs to make Rings of Power? Don't don't about Rings of Power ... but I'd bet it's safe to say those sitcoms have returned on those huge investments.

EDIT: Holey smokes -- The Big Bang Theory streaming rights were north of $600 million - also in 2019. Two and a Half Men also wasn't cheap. I guess, going on four years later, those other shoes are now dropping all over the place.

Really? They can bring in that much?
I don't doubt Friends attracts some viewers and is a considerable draw but at $10 per new subscriber it seems like they won't add enough to profit.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I’m surprised those shows command the money they do. I mean they’ve all been on as reruns forever. Is anyone signing up for Netflix because Seinfeld is on there?

 

[KarmaPolice]

I’m surprised those shows command the money they do. I mean they’ve all been on as reruns forever. Is anyone signing up for Netflix because Seinfeld is on there?

Maybe not, but could it be harder to leave because TV comfort food like Seinfeld is there and nowhere else?

 

[Runkle]

I’m surprised those shows command the money they do. I mean they’ve all been on as reruns forever. Is anyone signing up for Netflix because Seinfeld is on there?

Those deals were made at the tail end of the "Peak TV" boom. When money was being spent like running water. $200-$500 million deals were the norm, for both existing and new shows.

All the streamers were following the Amazon model of 1995-2005. Spend, spend, spend... spend as much as you can to acquire as much as possible. Not to turn a profit immediately, no. To box out the competition. If you have Friends, Seinfeld, plus something like the Lord of the Rings TV show, or whatever big prestige drama is... you're aiming for market penetration and mass adoption. It's not that they're going to sign up for you because you have that, but, they won't go to the other guy 'cause he's got nothing. Force the other services to fold until it's just one or two players left standing, then jack up the price. Once you've got 70% of the people signing up, you can force the competition out of the game and corner the market. Then 10-15 years down the line, you're making profit hand over fist. The challenge is to survive that long while you're burning money to keep the lights on.

 

[Klimtology]

I'm a rich guy so price doesn't bother me. Here in SD we have Cinepolis which is an upscale theatre that we go to,...spaced recliner seats, food and beverage service at seat etc.....the problem is there haven't been many movies we want to see on the big screen since the pandemic.

Since the pademic we've seen Maverick, Indiana Jones V, Elvis and the Northman.

I plan on seeing Oppenheimer and Dune sequel in theatre as well...so this will be the most we've gone to a theatre since the pandemic.

How rich?

 

[General Malaise]

25 years later and I'm still scarred from the woman who ate a hot dog and washed it down with a soda belching behind me and blowing her noxious fumes towards me during Blair Witch. As if that film didn't make me want to puke already, her disgusting jet wash was unforgettable. Let's never meet again.

 

[Doug B]

Really? They can bring in that much?
I don't doubt Friends attracts some viewers and is a considerable draw but at $10 per new subscriber it seems like they won't add enough to profit.

They brought that much in back in 2019. Interestingly, I hadn't found any recent articles about a streaming service paying big bucks for an existing TV series. Not that I looked very hard.

 

[Doug B]

I'm just beginning to dig into the general topic of "Streaming Service Financials: Then and Now". But I thought this LA Times article was a good read (no paywall). Doesn't directly address the mega-purchases of hit network TV series, but covers some close-by ground.

Streaming set off an arms race of $100-million mega-deals. Were they worth it?

Led by Netflix's pacts with Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, streamers have lured TV titans with eye-popping deals. The results have been mixed at best.

www.latimes.com

 

[grateful zed]

Yeah the guy snoring next to me today in the movie was great

You dodged a bullet - he could have been eating tuna.

you beat me to it.

 

[SFBayDuck]

25 years later and I'm still scarred from the woman who ate a hot dog and washed it down with a soda belching behind me and blowing her noxious fumes towards me during Blair Witch. As if that film didn't make me want to puke already, her disgusting jet wash was unforgettable. Let's never meet again.

She seems nice......

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Saw Indy last night. Theater had a regular showing and the high-end $25 ticket 4DX--motion seats, water effects, etc. That's the one I picked.

Reserved seating so... I couldn't change seats when the old guy next to me pulled out his cell phone and just read on full brightness for half the film.

Family behind me had a seven-ish year old kid who talked through the most of the movie. Just chit-chat. Until the loud action scenes, when he sang.

I expressed my displeasure at the situation, but the dad just shrugged. "I can't control him."

Once the kid got tired of talking, he got up and ran up and down the aisles for 10-15 minutes. Eventually the dad sequestered him in the back row, where I think he pulled out a nintendo switch to entertain him... only for the kid to shout down to his mom after beating every whatever level in the game for the rest of the film.

Pretty average theater experience to be honest.

This is why I never see a movie in the theater unless its a porno. No kids, and people have the common courtesy to keep their phones put away.

Edit: Admittedly, the food is a little sketchy.

 

[Golden Gopher]

Interesting topic. Generally speaking, I'm probably of the "I'd rather watch it at home" category. That said, there is still something that the theatre offers that you just can't get at home. I'm not even sure I can put my finger on it, to be honest, but I'll try. For one, my kids (12, 11, and 8) mostly still enjoy going to the movies. I say "mostly" because my "12 going on 16YO" daughter is probably a tougher sell these days than the other two. We probably go, as a family, a handful of times per year. And, usually, we go to see a movie that they're wanting to see... The latest Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc. That said, I did take them to The Covenant a month or two ago (which was totally my choice, not theirs), and they actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

Side note.... A few months into Covid, Costco where we live started selling two-pack Cinemark/Century movie tickets for $5.99. At the time, given that regular-priced tickets are $12-15, I was initially pretty skeptical, wondering what the catch was (not to mention wondering if movie theaters were going to survive the pandemic at all, given that everything was shut down, lots of businesses closing permanently, etc.). I inquired as to whether there was any catch or fine print, and the Costco employee I spoke to basically said that there was no risk. If the theatres go out of business permanently, she said I could always return the tickets. So, I bought a bunch (I think there was a limit of like 20 at the time).

Long story short, over the course of a few months (and until they stopped selling them), I bought 20 or so movie tickets every time I went to Costco. Probably a couple hundred in total. All for $3 each. I'm a bit of a gambler, I suppose, and I just figured the potential reward outweighed whatever risk there might be.

So, for the past couple of years or so (since the theatres opened back up), we've been using the pre-paid tickets, which definitely makes it easier to justify going. If not for those, I think I'd be a bit more reluctant to take the whole clan to the movies, which at regular price, would cost somewhere in the range $60-75 (just for the tickets, pre-concessions).

All of that said, personally, I think I just enjoy the nostalgia of occasionally going to the movies. I'm a bit of a loner (and a single dad, in a blended family with my three kids every other week), and if I wasn't so busy with work, coaching baseball, and other things, I could see myself going to a matinee by myself every week or two, like I did when I was younger. THAT said, I do find it harder these days to find movies in the theatre that I really want to see. Seems like everything is Sci-Fi, Super Hero, or Horror, none of which are my genre of choice. And, I really don't enjoy going to super crowded movies, so if I've got any choice in the matter, I'm going when the place is half-full at most.

Lastly, I'm a sucker for really good buttered popcorn, and no place makes it better than at the movies, so I think of that as an added bonus. Once I run out of these cheap tickets, though, I may strongly consider buying the popcorn "to go" and watch the movie at home.

 

[Golden Gopher]

One more thing... There are certain movies that have left a deeper impression on me, having watched in the theatre, than they would have watching at home. I remember watching Saving Private Ryan with a buddy 25 years ago, munching on popcorn and nachos just prior to the movie starting. Then, the opening scene was jaw-dropping. I don't think I've ever watched a movie where the events unfolding on-screen caused me (and pretty much everyone else around me) to not touch their concessions for a good 10-minute span. Then, when the ending credits ran, I remember hearing the old man a few rows behind me quietly weeping. It was something I'll never forget.

Conversely, watching Hostel from the front row of a theatre one time was also something I'll never forget. Different type of memory, but definitely unforgettable nonetheless.

 

[massraider]

All of that said, personally, I think I just enjoy the nostalgia of occasionally going to the movies.

Me too.

Bums me out that high school kids might not see horror movies in the theater.

 

[belljr]

Interesting topic. Generally speaking, I'm probably of the "I'd rather watch it at home" category. That said, there is still something that the theatre offers that you just can't get at home. I'm not even sure I can put my finger on it, to be honest, but I'll try. For one, my kids (12, 11, and 8) mostly still enjoy going to the movies. I say "mostly" because my "12 going on 16YO" daughter is probably a tougher sell these days than the other two. We probably go, as a family, a handful of times per year. And, usually, we go to see a movie that they're wanting to see... The latest Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc. That said, I did take them to The Covenant a month or two ago (which was totally my choice, not theirs), and they actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

Side note.... A few months into Covid, Costco where we live started selling two-pack Cinemark/Century movie tickets for $5.99. At the time, given that regular-priced tickets are $12-15, I was initially pretty skeptical, wondering what the catch was (not to mention wondering if movie theaters were going to survive the pandemic at all, given that everything was shut down, lots of businesses closing permanently, etc.). I inquired as to whether there was any catch or fine print, and the Costco employee I spoke to basically said that there was no risk. If the theatres go out of business permanently, she said I could always return the tickets. So, I bought a bunch (I think there was a limit of like 20 at the time).

Long story short, over the course of a few months (and until they stopped selling them), I bought 20 or so movie tickets every time I went to Costco. Probably a couple hundred in total. All for $3 each. I'm a bit of a gambler, I suppose, and I just figured the potential reward outweighed whatever risk there might be.

So, for the past couple of years or so (since the theatres opened back up), we've been using the pre-paid tickets, which definitely makes it easier to justify going. If not for those, I think I'd be a bit more reluctant to take the whole clan to the movies, which at regular price, would cost somewhere in the range $60-75 (just for the tickets, pre-concessions).

All of that said, personally, I think I just enjoy the nostalgia of occasionally going to the movies. I'm a bit of a loner (and a single dad, in a blended family with my three kids every other week), and if I wasn't so busy with work, coaching baseball, and other things, I could see myself going to a matinee by myself every week or two, like I did when I was younger. THAT said, I do find it harder these days to find movies in the theatre that I really want to see. Seems like everything is Sci-Fi, Super Hero, or Horror, none of which are my genre of choice. And, I really don't enjoy going to super crowded movies, so if I've got any choice in the matter, I'm going when the place is half-full at most.

Lastly, I'm a sucker for really good buttered popcorn, and no place makes it better than at the movies, so I think of that as an added bonus. Once I run out of these cheap tickets, though, I may strongly consider buying the popcorn "to go" and watch the movie at home.

Great Northern Popcorn Red Matinee Movie Theater Style 8 oz. Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine https://a.co/d/gcgX3IQ

 

[massraider]

Come on now guys, it tastes good because you are in a theater, and they just gave you three years worth of sodium with a 72 oz Coke.

Let's not pretend the high school junior who 'made' the popcorn is some kind of food wizard.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

For all the talk that is easily the biggest issue for me...there is a bigger and bigger gap between the entertainment industry and mainstream audiences...just keep it freakin' simple and entertain me (Maverick is the perfect example)...and for many movies you don't need overpriced "stars" or over-the-top special effects or some deep message...give me some "Brothers McMullen" stuff that is cheap to make and fun to watch.

Maverick was a very expensive movie and had the highest paid star in the industry (by an absurd amount, Tom Cruise made 3x what the next closest actor made that year).