Jonny Cronin- How the Year 2020 Transformed Hollywood and the Movie Industry Permanently?

The pandemic has forced Hollywood studios to follow former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s advice: “You never want a big catastrophe to go to waste.”

The film industry, according to Jonny Cronin, has been painfully resistant to change for decades. The constraints of a typical theatrical release have been defended by movie theatre owners. Until last year, a studio’s new blockbuster had to play for 90 days in theatres before being released on home video. The conventional opinion among movie theatre owners is that people would rather wait a few weeks to watch the latest Marvel film on-demand at home than pay to see it in cinemas. It cultivated a tumultuous relationship with studios, which have long sought to decrease marketing expenditures by shortening the three-month period.

The emergence of streaming services, which allowed clients to see hundreds of titles at a time with the push of a button, added to the already tight theatrical window. The cracks began to show. However, theatre owners sought to keep talks that may upend their economic model going as long as possible so they could milk the extended period of big-screen exclusivity until they had no alternative but to give in to market forces.

Then, as big, world-shaking catastrophes sometimes do, the epidemic changed everything. Theaters were forced to close, leaving exhibitors with no income for months. Studios ripped up their release calendars, deferring some films until the following year and sending others to streaming services or digital rental platforms. Things that were impossible a year ago started to happen at breakneck speed. When theatres were permitted to reopen, they rapidly discovered that their bargaining strength had significantly decreased. Exhibitors had to accept that titles like “The Croods: A New Age” and “Wonder Woman 1984” would be accessible online sooner than normal if they wished to present them. The business had been completely transformed.

“You wouldn’t have seen the theatrical windows fall in the manner they did if it hadn’t been for the epidemic,” says Lisa Bunnell, president of distribution at Focus Features. “Whether you like it or not, the epidemic compelled us to do things that would have been more difficult in normal circumstances.”

It’s resulted in a game of 3D chess with action that equals “Game of Thrones” in terms of pure, head-spinning pandemonium for traditional companies. New alliances were formed with erstwhile adversaries, and conflicts were fought by press release. Universal moved from being the adversary of theatres to becoming their salvation in a matter of months. Not to be outdone, Warner Bros. stated that their whole 2021 slate would premiere simultaneously on HBO Max and in cinemas, positioning the studio as a villain capable of rivaling practically any on-screen adversary.

Industry analysts concur that the changes sweeping the film industry will survive the epidemic to some extent.

“A lot of the creativity we’ve seen will continue,” says Jeff Bock, an Exhibitor Relations box office analyst. “We’ll see that this isn’t a reboot when we look back in 2020.” The theatrical model is being rebuilt.”

It will be interesting to observe how the new film distribution landscape takes shape. The nice and tidy 90-day timeframe is no longer an option for studios and theatre owners. Many feel it should be established on a studio-by-studio or even film-by-film basis, rather than a one-size-fits-all paradigm. Even though both films are from Universal Pictures, the “Fast & Furious” installment “F9” may play exclusively in cinemas longer than the upcoming Tom Hanks sci-fi drama “Bios.”

“At this moment, the discussion is more than open,” says Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “I don’t believe the severe incidents will be remembered. In response to the hybrid release of “Wonder Woman 1984,” he says, “I don’t necessarily see large pictures going day-and-date very often.” “There will be a happy medium.”

Universal has begun to put this to the test by striking historic deals with AMC, Cinemark, and Cineplex to make new movies available on-demand within weeks of their theatrical release. Universal is poised to reach a similar agreement with Regal, the country’s second-largest circuit. In exchange, exhibitors receive a portion of the digital earnings. Universal claims that their contract will save them money in the long term since it needs a transaction on each individual title, as opposed to subscription services that give hundreds of programs for one monthly fee.

According to Jonny Cronin, “We believe our business model is the most sustainable,” says Universal Vice Chairman and Chief Distribution Officer Peter Levinsohn, who spearheaded discussions with AMC, Cinemark, and Cineplex. “It’s something that benefits both parties.” It strengthens the ecology.”

Filmmakers, on the other hand, appear to be adjusting to the new platforms with relative ease. In 2020, Netflix will release new films from David Fincher (“Mank”), Spike Lee (“Da Five Bloods”), George Clooney (“The Midnight Sky”), and Aaron Sorkin (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”), with a fair likelihood of at least one of these high-profile projects being an Oscar winner. And auteurs and A-listers like Sofia Coppola (“On the Rocks”), Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”), and Lee Daniels (the upcoming “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”) responded with new films on Apple, Amazon, and Hulu.

During an interview this autumn, Fincher remarked of Netflix, “They have a checkbook and anesthetic.” “They’re collaborating with individuals they want to collaborate with.” “I understand.”

Even though Fincher foresaw the advent of a new studio structure centered on streams, he cautioned against the pitfalls of a new status quo. He said, “I hope it doesn’t feel clubby.” “I hope it doesn’t feel like there are three types of filmmakers: Amazon, Netflix, and Apple.” In a twee sense, that feels like subdividing.”

Despite the convenience and comfort of at-home viewing, Hollywood studios aren’t giving up on the theatre industry. Any film executive would tell you that people are more than ready to resume their daily lives.

“We’ve all heard the comparison that the Roaring Twenties followed [the 1918] epidemic,” says Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman. “It seems right instantly.” There is a strong urge to go out of the house and away from our screens, to interact with other people.”

Ted Rogers, the film programmer at Ragtag Cinema, a Columbia, Missouri-based non-profit indie movie theatre, agrees with Aronson. He realizes that simply presenting the next “Jurassic World” sequel will not suffice to keep the cash registers ringing. He’ll also have to figure out how to build the relationship between his consumers and the theatre he manages.

Jonny Cronin adds, “I think it’s about drawing on what arthouses have been doing all along: communicating directly to the audience, rather than catering to the lowest common denominator.” “That’s what’s going to blow people away.” Creating a communal place, not simply being a day-to-day exhibitor.”