The current state of Box Office Films discussion

[DarkKnight]

I've given this a lot of thought lately. Especially after witnessing so many various films that many would have thought would be a box office hit failing miserably instead. I don't necessarily think all of these movies are "bad". However, I do feel there are many various contributors that are causing them to fail.

First off, I don't think people are actually going to the theater much anymore. I know many that still go and go regularly, but I believe the majority no longer do that. Why? Thats what we are here to discuss, and I hope others will join in on this discussion as well.

The biggest downward trend seemed to be during Covid or should I say the height of Covid during lockdowns. In many or should I say most places, the theaters were shut down. This created the following conditions: People becoming accustomed to staying at home for entertainment and of course various studios offering new films either from direct streaming rental, or offer it for free if you joined their streaming service etc.

The next issue that seems to be a contributor is of course inflation. The cost of everything is up and at some of the highest price increases we've ever seen. One of the comparisons I can personally give is my local theater. It's now on average of $15 for an evening movie ticket for one person. If I take my family, that's $60 just for tickets, no drinks popcorn etc. If I buy drinks and popcorn of course that will be $100 easily if not more for a family of 4 and this does not even take into account, the cost of fuel/travel. Now, let's compare that to entertainment at home. Even if I'm able to rent a new release movie at home through streaming, it's probably going to cost me between $10 to $20 (I believe the most I paid to rent from home for a new release was $20). So, we are at $20 for "tickets" in the comfort of our own home plus the box of popcorn that was $4 that contains 12 packs of popcorn. Let's just say we each have our own bag of popcorn, that's .33 cents a bag so say $1.30 for 4 bags total. We are at $21.30 for that night's entertainment.... what about drinks? Well, I'll have plenty of drink options already at home due to the weekly groceries anyway so that does not accrue any additional costs.... Therefore, with the option of $100 or more for theater entertainment or $21 max for home entertainment. I feel many people, especially families, will choose the cheaper and often times more comfortable option of staying home.

Lastly, Politics... Allow me to say that this is not meant to be taken as political talk or political party affiliation or beliefs etc., its further observation of why I feel the big box office films are doing poorly. But I feel we can all agree that politics have become an obvious factor with films and other forms of entertainment. I cannot even list every film that has come out over the last few years that there was not some article online stating that "this film is left-wing or right-wing rhetoric and blah blah blah"... In many cases, there may be evidence that such statement is true, and in many cases, it may not be true at all. However, I can't help but feel that such articles are likely very off-putting to many movie goers due to said politics and/or various subjects that can be related and also contribute to further reasoning of not attending.

What are your thoughts on this downward trend that we have been seeing?

 

[Filmfreak]

People got used to streaming and only go to the cinema when something feels rather special, an event of a sort. Too much content, lack of originality and too crowded weekends make people even more picky. Extremely short windows until home release haven't helped their case either.

It seems that outside a handful of blockbusters and movies in general that have been reviewed very well the only ones that for the most part are doing really well are horror movies. And some animated flicks once in a while, mostly comedic ones.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I've given this a lot of thought lately. Especially after witnessing so many various films that many would have thought would be a box office hit failing miserably instead. I don't necessarily think all of these movies are "bad". However, I do feel there are many various contributors that are causing them to fail.

First off, I don't think people are actually going to the theater much anymore. I know many that still go and go regularly, but I believe the majority no longer do that. Why? Thats what we are here to discuss, and I hope others will join in on this discussion as well.

The biggest downward trend seemed to be during Covid or should I say the height of Covid during lockdowns. In many or should I say most places, the theaters were shut down. This created the following conditions: People becoming accustomed to staying at home for entertainment and of course various studios offering new films either from direct streaming rental, or offer it for free if you joined their streaming service etc.

The next issue that seems to be a contributor is of course inflation. The cost of everything is up and at some of the highest price increases we've ever seen. One of the comparisons I can personally give is my local theater. It's now on average of $15 for an evening movie ticket for one person. If I take my family, that's $60 just for tickets, no drinks popcorn etc. If I buy drinks and popcorn of course that will be $100 easily if not more for a family of 4 and this does not even take into account, the cost of fuel/travel. Now, let's compare that to entertainment at home. Even if I'm able to rent a new release movie at home through streaming, it's probably going to cost me between $10 to $20 (I believe the most I paid to rent from home for a new release was $20). So, we are at $20 for "tickets" in the comfort of our own home plus the box of popcorn that was $4 that contains 12 packs of popcorn. Let's just say we each have our own bag of popcorn, that's .33 cents a bag so say $1.30 for 4 bags total. We are at $21.30 for that night's entertainment.... what about drinks? Well, I'll have plenty of drink options already at home due to the weekly groceries anyway so that does not accrue any additional costs.... Therefore, with the option of $100 or more for theater entertainment or $21 max for home entertainment. I feel many people, especially families, will choose the cheaper and often times more comfortable option of staying home.

Lastly, Politics... Allow me to say that this is not meant to be taken as political talk or political party affiliation or beliefs etc., its further observation of why I feel the big box office films are doing poorly. But I feel we can all agree that politics have become an obvious factor with films and other forms of entertainment. I cannot even list every film that has come out over the last few years that there was not some article online stating that "this film is left-wing or right-wing rhetoric and blah blah blah"... In many cases, there may be evidence that such statement is true, and in many cases, it may not be true at all. However, I can't help but feel that such articles are likely very off-putting to many movie goers due to said politics and/or various subjects that can be related and also contribute to further reasoning of not attending.

What are your thoughts on this downward trend that we have been seeing?

Did you miss the success of Barbenheimer? Two very "political" flicks?

 

[DarkKnight]

Did you miss the success of Barbenheimer? Two very "political" flicks?

I honestly had to google Barbenheime. In fact, I had to redo this reply because I had no clue what you were talking about as I thought that was the actual title, lol. But now, I see you're speaking of Barbie and Oppenheimer. I guess I've been under a rock haha.

I want to see Oppenheimer but have zero interest in Barbie. Oppenheimer I was aware would be "political" but that film having politics is different from what I meant in my original post. I was speaking more in terms where politics are not the subject or focal point and may have a more added/forced "unnecessary to plot" feeling.
Regarding Barbie, I was not aware of it being political in nature. I never watched any trailers or anything for it. I generally ignored it as a whole just for the fact it's nothing I would be interested in seeing. Nothing against it, just not my thing.

Sure there are several successful films still coming out. But just seems so many that should be are failing.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I honestly had to google Barbenheime. In fact, I had to redo this reply because I had no clue what you were talking about as I thought that was the actual title, lol. But now, I see you're speaking of Barbie and Oppenheimer. I guess I've been under a rock haha.

I want to see Oppenheimer but have zero interest in Barbie. Oppenheimer I was aware would be "political" but that film having politics is different from what I meant in my original post. I was speaking more in terms where politics are not the subject or focal point and may have a more added/forced "unnecessary to plot" feeling.
Regarding Barbie, I was not aware of it being political in nature. I never watched any trailers or anything for it. I generally ignored it as a whole just for the fact it's nothing I would be interested in seeing. Nothing against it, just not my thing.

Sure there are several successful films still coming out. But just seems so many that should be are failing.

Would you like to give an example of that?

 

[DarkKnight]

Would you like to give an example of that?

For movies I've actually seen? Or for movies based on various politicized articles that I referenced in my original post? I'll reference two films that I've seen and recall reading articles about.

I do recall reading a few articles back after Black Adam released labeling it as a "Pro Toxic Masculine film for right wingers".
Then there was Indiana Jones 5 where there were articles saying "IJ5 leaves Indie behind for his more capable and woke daughter".
Statements in articles like that typically attach political views.

Did either of these films actually do or say what the article claimed? Idk, that's up to the viewer to decide. But the politics that can become attached to the films with articles like these can have negative feedback from viewers that want to just be entertained.
Me personally, I don't care what the articles say or which way the movie is labeled as leaning. If I want to see the film I'm going to see it.

All I'm saying is I personally feel like some films getting politicized can create a buzz around the film that can negatively impact its box office. It's not always the case, but seems like it can be a factor just like my other categories of Covid, expenses etc.

I'm curious as to what others think the reasonings can be for a lot of these unexpected failures to be.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

For movies I've actually seen? Or for movies based on various politicized articles that I referenced in my original post? I'll reference two films that I've seen and recall reading articles about.

I do recall reading a few articles back after Black Adam released labeling it as a "Pro Toxic Masculine film for right wingers".
Then there was Indiana Jones 5 where there were articles saying "IJ5 leaves Indie behind for his more capable and woke daughter".
Statements in articles like that typically attach political views.

Did either of these films actually do or say what the article claimed? Idk, that's up to the viewer to decide. But the politics that can become attached to the films with articles like these can have negative feedback from viewers that want to just be entertained.
Me personally, I don't care what the articles say or which way the movie is labeled as leaning. If I want to see the film I'm going to see it.

All I'm saying is I personally feel like some films getting politicized can create a buzz around the film that can negatively impact its box office. It's not always the case, but seems like it can be a factor just like my other categories of Covid, expenses etc.

I'm curious as to what others think the reasonings can be for a lot of these unexpected failures to be.

You wrote that, " I was speaking more in terms where politics are not the subject or focal point and may have a more added/forced "unnecessary to plot" feeling." I'm talking about examples of this.

 

[Snow Queen]

For movies I've actually seen? Or for movies based on various politicized articles that I referenced in my original post? I'll reference two films that I've seen and recall reading articles about.

I do recall reading a few articles back after Black Adam released labeling it as a "Pro Toxic Masculine film for right wingers".
Then there was Indiana Jones 5 where there were articles saying "IJ5 leaves Indie behind for his more capable and woke daughter".
Statements in articles like that typically attach political views.

Did either of these films actually do or say what the article claimed? Idk, that's up to the viewer to decide. But the politics that can become attached to the films with articles like these can have negative feedback from viewers that want to just be entertained.
Me personally, I don't care what the articles say or which way the movie is labeled as leaning. If I want to see the film I'm going to see it.

All I'm saying is I personally feel like some films getting politicized can create a buzz around the film that can negatively impact its box office. It's not always the case, but seems like it can be a factor just like my other categories of Covid, expenses etc.

I'm curious as to what others think the reasonings can be for a lot of these unexpected failures to be.

I mean... that one's not really up to the viewer to decide. That's factually incorrect. He doesn't even have a daughter in the movie. The Black Adam one is an opinion on a film, something that can be sensibly disagreed with. The Indy one is just factually incorrect and I can promise that, if the same role were played by a cishet white man, the word "woke" wouldn't be in such a complaint. Because it's not about the film, really.

 

[DarkKnight]

I mean... that one's not really up to the viewer to decide. That's factually incorrect. He doesn't even have a daughter in the movie. The Black Adam one is an opinion on a film, something that can be sensibly disagreed with. The Indy one is just factually incorrect and I can promise that, if the same role were played by a cishet white man, the word "woke" wouldn't be in such a complaint. Because it's not about the film, really.

Thank you. You helped me explain my reasoning further. Perhaps I didn't do a good job explaining it originally. Sometimes, I struggle putting thoughts into words.
Any article can have a negative influence and reaction and cause people to not see the film is essentially what I was trying to explain.
Correct, the article could be factually incorrect. In other cases, it may be correct. Some viewers will not see a film just based on an article or potential "political view" that an article claims of the film.
Instead of seeing the film themselves they take the word of the article.
I never said this reasoning isn't necessarily a silly reason. But I know for a fact it has kept people from seeing films.
Again, if I want to see a film, I go see it. I don't let articles, negative reviews, positive reviews or any form of politics get in my way of seeing it.

 

[Sithborg]

Thank you. You helped me explain my reasoning further. Perhaps I didn't do a good job explaining it originally. Sometimes, I struggle putting thoughts into words.
Any article can have a negative influence and reaction and cause people to not see the film is essentially what I was trying to explain.
Correct, the article could be factually incorrect. In other cases, it may be correct. Some viewers will not see a film just based on an article or potential "political view" that an article claims of the film.
Instead of seeing the film themselves they take the word of the article.
I never said this reasoning isn't necessarily a silly reason. But I know for a fact it has kept people from seeing films.
Again, if I want to see a film, I go see it. I don't let articles, negative reviews, positive reviews or any form of politics get in my way of seeing it.

Nah, clickbait articles have had zero impact on the box office. Trust me, if they did, Captain Marvel would not have made as much as it did. The number of people affected by such articles is a minority.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Thank you. You helped me explain my reasoning further. Perhaps I didn't do a good job explaining it originally. Sometimes, I struggle putting thoughts into words.
Any article can have a negative influence and reaction and cause people to not see the film is essentially what I was trying to explain.
Correct, the article could be factually incorrect. In other cases, it may be correct. Some viewers will not see a film just based on an article or potential "political view" that an article claims of the film.
Instead of seeing the film themselves they take the word of the article.
I never said this reasoning isn't necessarily a silly reason. But I know for a fact it has kept people from seeing films.
Again, if I want to see a film, I go see it. I don't let articles, negative reviews, positive reviews or any form of politics get in my way of seeing it.

How did this help explain your reasoning at all? If anything, it points out the giant flaw in your reasoning, because it doesn't matter what the content of the movie is, people will attack it.

You said, "I know for a fact it has kept people from seeing films". So? A lot of things keep people from seeing movies. Some fundamentalists won't go see movies for religious reasons. Some won't because going out in public isn't their thing. Some people won't go see a movie because they heard one actor slept with their father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate. Why are you singling out this "factor" when three of the biggest movies to come out this last month are highly politically charged, including a QAnon flick?

The vast, vast majority of films can be perceived as political, from Gone with the Wind to A New Hope to John Wick Chapter 4. I'd argue they are all fairly obvious in that regard. And yet they made bank, like Top Gun Maverick, The Sound of Freedom, Oppenheimer, and Barbie all did.

Also, you still haven't answered my question from above.

 

[DarkKnight]

For whatever reason, this thread seems to have created negative energy which was never the intended purpose. If an admin is available and deems it viable to remove the thread feel free to do so.