The evolving landscape of cinema: A buffet of genres
A diverse cinematic menu
Cinema operator Rick Roman, who runs Crowne Point Theatre in Elizabethtown, Ky., likens multiplexes to buffets. “You can’t just have a main course,” he says. “You need salads and desserts too.” This culinary metaphor underscores the necessity for a variety of genres to attract a broad audience. As summer winds down, theaters are experiencing a resurgence, offering everything from superhero adventures like Deadpool & Wolverine to animated delights such as Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2.
Hits and misses
Of course, not every film has been a hit. Kevin Costner’s Western, Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1, and Sony and Apple’s romantic comedy, Fly Me to the Moon, failed to captivate audiences. Similarly, Lionsgate’s video game adaptation, Borderlands, didn’t meet expectations. However, the overall mood in theaters is more jubilant compared to earlier in the year when potential blockbusters like The Fall Guy and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga underperformed.
A promising summer
“I’m having a good summer,” says Roman, noting that Crowne Point Theatre’s revenues, initially down 18% from 2023, had improved to an 8% deficit by early August. “We’ve had movies that cover all demographics.” Despite the delayed surge, overall domestic revenues are still 16% behind last year and 28% behind 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. Hollywood studios and theater owners are hopeful that a diverse lineup of films will help close this gap as we move into the fall.
The fall lineup
On the horizon, box office watchers are optimistic about upcoming releases. The sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 horror comedy, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, is set to release on September 6, featuring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Jenna Ortega. Another highly anticipated film is Joker: Folie à Deux, the follow-up to the 2019 blockbuster, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, scheduled for October 4.
Other notable releases include Paramount’s animated Transformers One on September 20, Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot on September 27, Sony’s comic book three-quel Venom: The Last Dance on October 25, and Paramount’s horror spinoff Smile 2 on October 18.
Consumer spending and the movie experience
Eric Wold, a senior media analyst, notes that consumer spending habits are encouraging. Major chains like AMC Theatres and Cinemark report that patrons are willing to pay for concessions and premium surcharges for Imax or Dolby screens. This indicates that the entertainment value, rather than financial concerns or COVID fears, is driving people to the movies.
Christopher Escobar, owner of Plaza Theatre in Atlanta, emphasizes that the relevance of movie theaters extends beyond just having new films. The success of events like “Barbenheimer” and immersive 4DX screenings of Twisters shows the importance of making big-screen debuts feel like cultural events.
Creating memorable experiences
Theater operators are increasingly focusing on creating memorable experiences. This includes themed memorabilia, such as popcorn buckets shaped like memory orbs from Inside Out 2 or Wolverine’s wide-open mouth from Deadpool & Wolverine. Lobbies are being filled with Instagram-worthy displays and posters touting the latest blockbusters.
“Creating an experience that’s not just sitting in the movie theater but engaging with in-person touch points and pop-ups is more memorable for people,” says Kristen Schiele, an associate marketing professor. “It creates a fear of missing out.”
Quality over quantity
Despite a brighter fall outlook, there’s a worrying decline in wide releases. So far, 58 films have debuted nationwide in 2024 compared to 70 at the same point in 2019 and 2018. However, exhibitors like Roman believe it ultimately comes down to quality over quantity. “It’s not the number of movies. It’s about the number of movies that people want to see,” he says. “Right now, there are movies that people want to see.”
In this evolving landscape, the key to success lies in offering a diverse and engaging cinematic experience that appeals to all demographics. As we move into the fall, the hope is that this varied lineup will continue to draw audiences back to theaters, closing the year-to-date gap and setting the stage for a robust holiday season.