Do you think streaming is/will eventually kill(ing) DVDs and movie theaters?

[a user]

Straightforward question.

 

[metaphysician]

No. Sneakernet is always going to have higher bandwidth than even the best internet connection, and streaming does nothing to make a theater-grade audiovisual system magically appear in your living room. Even in the most optimistic scenario, streaming will reduce the the market share of physical media and theaters, it won't eliminate them.

Note, as a point of comparison, music. Music is much more favorable to the streaming format than movies, and the music industry embraced digital and streaming much earlier. You can still find fairly extensive music sections selling DVDs in every big box retailer, and vinyl ( an older, extinct format! ) came back from the dead to now become a growth sector.

 

[OutOfBoose]

No. Each format has it's own advantages that don't exist in other. Big screen is obviously big with impressive sound, which is perfect for blockbusters. Streaming is good for serialized stuff and indie/small scale. And physical media is for collectors and people who enjoy higher than streaming video quality.

I think streaming may hit indie and small scale films' theatrical runs. They will or already relocated to streaming.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Not on my watch.

 

[MadVillainy]

I mean DVDs/Blu Rays for sure. Theaters not really. But I think theaters aren't going to be basically all blockbusters. It's already gotten to the point where rom coms, which used to fill theaters, are kinda all regulated to Netflix or don't make a lot of money.

I'm gonna keep buying blu rays as long as they keep making them

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

No. There is always going to be demand for physical media by collectors. Even vinyl records are still around. It will become rather niche most likely, but I can't see it disappearing entirely.

Similarily, massive blockbusters will always bring in the crowds to theaters. You simply cannot replicate things like IMAX at home, unless you are the Vanderbilts or something. Smaller films are likely going to see a streaming future though.

 

[metaphysician]

I could see it happening that smaller budget films go streaming first, and then *after* achieving proven success and interest, get runs in 'boutique' theater chains that specialize in just such movies.

 

[TheGuy]

No. Each format has it's own advantages that don't exist in other. Big screen is obviously big with impressive sound, which is perfect for blockbusters. Streaming is good for serialized stuff and indie/small scale. And physical media is for collectors and people who enjoy higher than streaming video quality.

I think streaming may hit indie and small scale films' theatrical runs. They will or already relocated to streaming.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[psylockolussus]

Nope.

Its gonna replace/kill physical format not theaters. for big movies and big studios out there, movies would get a theaterical release first before it heads to streaming sites/apps.

Unless technology gets so advanced and people would have a screen as big as a theater screen and a theater sound systeminstantly then okay. But thats unrealistic.

But even in the music industry, there are companies that still releases albums in vinyl and cassette in the streaming era of music. Physical format for movies is already unavailable in my country which is really sad. But America, Europe,first world countries, there would be a market for blu rays for years to come.

Side note, I wish before streaming took off, I wish there was another physical format that replaced cds and blu-rays as I feel like discs still need to be taken care off, like you always need to put them inside the disc/blu ray case not to collect dust and get scratches and there are sensitive to sunlight. Like in my head, I imaginw a futuristic physical format would be like a rectangled shape card and you just put in top of the player (like charging a cellphone) or slide it like a credit card and the film/music would instantly play.

 

[MovieSlave]

And physical media is for collectors and people who enjoy higher than streaming video quality.

Thanks for pointing this out. There are still people out there who think the PQ when streaming is as good as a Blu-ray or 4K disc. I don't mind streaming certain things but overall I love my movie collection (roughly 1,100 - 1,200 films) and prefer to own an actual copy of the film that I can watch if a streaming site ever goes down or has issues for awhile.

As for the poll, I voted No. If streaming ever does kill off home video releases it won't be for a very long while. Home video releases are still going strong thankfully.

 

[sueb1863]

Not everyone has the wifi access and equipment you need to stream. That alone will keep physical formats around.

As for movie theaters, they've survived television and home video, they'll survive streaming, too. No matter how big your TV screen is, it can't replace the experience of seeing a movie in a theater.

 

[MadVillainy]

As for movie theaters, they've survived television and home video, they'll survive streaming, too. No matter how big your TV screen is, it can't replace the experience of seeing a movie in a theater.

Streaming is a way different beasts than TV/cable and Home video though.

 

[psylockolussus]

Thanks for pointing this out. There are still people out there who think the PQ when streaming is as good as a Blu-ray or 4K disc. I don't mind streaming certain things but overall I love my movie collection (roughly 1,100 - 1,200 films) and prefer to own an actual copy of the film that I can watch if a streaming site ever goes down or has issues for awhile.

As for the poll, I voted No. If streaming ever does kill off home video releases it won't be for a very long while. Home video releases are still going strong thankfully.

Not according to this:
The death of the DVD: Why sales dropped more than 86% in 13 years

And does a lot of tv shows still release dvd/blu-rays these days? I don't think thats the case anymore unlike in the 2000s.

Physical format would be around, but when DVD sales dropped 86% in 13 years. I don't see anything "still going strong". While Blu ray always sold less copies than DVDs based on that report.

 

[MovieSlave]

Not according to this:
The death of the DVD: Why sales dropped more than 86% in 13 years

And does a lot of tv shows still release dvd/blu-rays these days? I don't think thats the case anymore unlike in the 2000s.

Physical format would be around, but when DVD sales dropped 86% in 13 years. I don't see anything "still going strong". While Blu ray always sold less copies than DVDs based on that report.

Ok, well enjoy your streaming and hopefully you don't lose all your stuff like what happened to people using iTunes awhile back.

 

[psylockolussus]

Ok, well enjoy your streaming and hopefully you don't lose all your stuff like what happened to people using iTunes awhile back.

I haven't even signed up for a streaming service site for you to say that. I still watch movies in a theater every single month. The only reason why I don't buy dvds anymore because the companies that used to import/distribute cds/dvds/blu rays here in my country are now closed and the shops that mostly sold cds/dvds have been replaced - which really made me sad fyi.

I am not against physical format. I was pointing out that Physical media isn't "still going strong". And if you read the article I posted, you'll know how streaming really took over.

 

[MadVillainy]

Not a fan of Friends, but this warms my little heart
'Friends' Digital and Physical Sales Up in Midst of Netflix/HBO Max Shuffle