Nina Metz: Does the pandemic + streaming equal the end of movies at the theater?
Last month, a survey found 70% of audiences would be upset if movie theaters went away altogether. But less than half those same people have been to in-person screenings since the pandemic began. This makes sense. Health concerns are real and valid. Even so, anecdotally, it doesn’t sound like there’s a groundswell of viewers eager to return even when (and if) concerns about COVID-19 subside.
Can moviegoing survive?
Distributors going the “exclusively in theaters” route are finding that FOMO — the fear of missing out — isn’t the driving force it once was. Not when there are so many other things to watch from the comfort of your home.
The multiplex is in trouble. Movies that once filled the big screen — rom-coms, thrillers, comedies and dramas, all featuring Hollywood stars — are now straight-to-streaming endeavors, leaving only big budget blockbusters. Can theaters survive on tentpole films alone?
By contrast, the home experience offers convenience (closed captions at the click of a
