I wanted to dedicate this weekly editorial space to something other than today’s highly anticipated global release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” My intention was to write about another fierce duo riling up the entertainment business, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, whose ongoing strike will likely cause massive disruption for cinema operators in the near future. That will have to wait until next week, for like everyone else these days, I am choosing to enjoy the cultural moment which could finally bring some much needed economic relief to theater operators.
It might have started out as counter-programming to have writer/director Gerta Gerwig’s light hearted feminist live-action take on a popular toy doll open in movie theatres on the same day as filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s weighty biopic about the renowned physicist who helped create the first nuclear bomb, but the incongruity between the two films that has helped raise the public awareness of both. What started out as a box office rivalry between the two films simultaneous release has, as everyone now knows, generated an internet phenomenon dubbed with the portmanteau “Barbenheimer.”
It’s hard to say where or how “Barbenheimer” first started (though I’m sure someone will now tell me), but the idea is to see a double feature of both movies on the same day rather than choosing to see just one. Mainstream media outlets seem to have entire news desks dedicated to churning out news stories on “Barbenheimer” the New York Times running their first piece as far back in late June before picking up the pace last week and ultimately focusing on potential box office outcomes. The Guardian looked back in time at other competing movie releases. Both the Los Angeles Times and Vanity Fair believe “Barbenheimer” is coming at the perfect time for Hollywood. Collider takes up the much heated debate about whether to see “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” first. CNN provides a guide on how to comfortably take in both movies on the same day.
Even those that have nothing to do with either movie or reporting on the cultural impact of “Barbenheimer” are getting in on the action. The Graham Norton Show posted a montage of clips on YouTube featuring past appearances on the talk show of actors from both movies. Publishing giant Hachette Book Group has some reading recommendations for “Barbenheimer” aficionados. There are more than a few unofficial posters with my favorite so far being the one created by Sean Longmore. Amazon is selling “Barbenheimer” t-shirts. There is even a movie trailer for “Barbenheimer” which arrived just in time for opening day, and to add a little meta to the meme, it was created using artificial intelligence.
The good news is, if all these news reports are correct, it appears “Barbenheimer” is actually working to attract infrequent moviegoers who haven’t returned to cinemas since well before the pandemic. Over the last few days my email inbox has been filled with exhibitors wanting to Celluloid Junkie know about their blockbuster ticket presales for both films. Even before “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” bowed in cinemas, AMC Theatres reported that 20,000 members of its loyalty program purchased tickets to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day. Vue in the United Kingdom said last week that 19% of customers purchasing tickets to “Oppenheimer” also bought tickets for “Barbie.” Then came word that Cineplex in Canada had sold 345,000 advance tickets to the films.
I stopped counting after the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) sent over their figures. “According to our estimates, we project that more than 200,000 moviegoers in North America will be enjoying an exciting same-day double feature of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer,’ in addition to the millions of worldwide moviegoers who are planning to see both films on different days this weekend,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of NATO.
Starting Thursday afternoon photos of moviegoers decked out in pink dresses, suits, ties and tuxedos started dominating my social media feeds. This may explain the raging debate on websites such as Reddit over the perfect “Barbenheimer” outfit. Not to mention the thread on which perfume will work best for the occasion. Perhaps all those Gentleminions who flooded movie theatres last summer to see “Minions: The Rise of Gru” were ahead of their time.
On Thursday evening, at the grand opening of Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Inglewood IMAX at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles (which is really nice and worth checking out), half the attendees were wearing pink. Indeed, I ran into the contingent from NATO, all of whom looked dashing in their pink attire. Apparently I didn’t get the memo and was wearing blue. I told anyone who asked I was dressed as Ken.
Exhibitors
AMC Abandons Sightline Program After Market Testing
AMC Theatres says it will “pivot” off their Sightline at AMC ticketing scheme, which is currently in a pilot program at select locations in three U.S. markets. The exhibitor says the response to the test was positive with 75% of guests who purchased a Preferred Sightline seat in the middle of the auditorium opting to purchase a seat in the preferred section on subsequent visits despite a slight up-charge. AMC reports that nearly 90% of these guests continued to purchase tickets at AMC Theatres, either within the Preferred Sightline section or elsewhere in the theater.
Meanwhile, despite a modest price reduction, AMC observed little to no increase in patronage of front-row seating. Since competitors in the industry did not follow suit with similar seat-based pricing strategies, AMC decided not to implement the Sightline at AMC program nationwide. Instead, AMC plans to capitalize on the lessons learned and will now shift its focus towards testing an entirely different type of spacious front-row seating concept, featuring extensive seat recline. The company plans to introduce this innovative seating arrangement in select theater locations throughout the United States later in the year 2023.
When AMC first announced the program back in February of this year many moviegoers (and more then a few media outlets) scoffed at the idea wondering why cinema operators didn’t rip the first two rows of seats out of their auditoriums since nobody ever wants to sit there. There are a number reasons why theatre owners are reluctant to lose seats in an auditorium beyond decreased ticket sales, such as a per-seat house allowance on film rental, which is no longer an industry standard and appeasing distributors who always want to be on a screen with as many seats as possible.
While AMC may get ridiculed for abandoning its Sightline initiative at least they were willing to experiment with alternative ways to sell movie tickets, even if, as many predicted, it didn’t necessarily work. Ultimately, AMC proved the old adage that customers are willing to pay for something they want (like a seat in the center of a movie theatre), but aren’t willing to pay a discounted price for something they don’t want (such as a neck craning seat in the first two rows of an auditorium).
Source: Celluloid Junkie
Exhibitors
Alamo Drafthouse Promotes Michael Kustermann to CEO
Texas-based Alamo Drafthouse has announced the promotion of Michael Kustermann to CEO, succeeding Shelli Taylor, who has decided to retire, though will remain on the Board of Directors. Kustermann, previously the President of the company, will lead Alamo Drafthouse as it continues its growth and investment in theaters, maintaining a unique moviegoing experience that has gained an international reputation.
Taylor was originally brought on to Alamo by private equity investors who wanted to help its Founder and Executive Chairman Tim League expand into new cities. She arrived in May of 2020 with theatres arleady shutdown nationwide due to the COVID pandemic. Throughout Taylor’s tenure as CEO, Alamo faced significant challenges beyond the pandemic, including restructuring under bankruptcy. She gave Alamo a more of a corporate feel during a tumultuous time. While a few longtime past and present employees will be quick to tell you they preferred the company’s previously loose and relaxed culture, Taylor accomplished the objective for which she was initially hired and the company has rebounded under her leadership.
Kustermann’s promotion comes after showcasing his experience in driving key initiatives, including team culture development, new concept innovation, and successful programs like the Silent Service menu ordering system and the Season Pass subscription plan. He takes over as CEO on 11 August and he will continue to lead the company’s growth and expansion into new markets, exemplified by the recent openings in Chicago, St. Louis, and Washington DC, with plans for additional locations in Boston and Florida.
Source: Celluloid Junkie
Cinemas
Cineworld Strikes Rent Deal to Continue Operating in Jersey
Jersey Development Company, the Government’s property regeneration company, has successfully renegotiated the terms of the Cineworld lease, securing the future of the only cinema on the island for the next nine years. The negotiations come as Cineworld navigates Chapter 11 bankruptcy, partly due to revenue loss during government-imposed cinema closures amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, Cineworld appealed against a £1 million order to pay unpaid rent and insurance costs incurred while the venue was closed during the pandemic. Revenues from the Jersey cinema have been marginal, with visits decreasing from 280,000 in 2019 to 180,000 in 2022. To retain an operating cinema on the island, the Jersey Development Company agreed to waive some of Cineworld’s rent arrears debt in exchange for a longer commitment through June 2032. However, if the average annual visits drop below 180,000 after 2027, Cineworld can exit the arrangement with a six-month notice period.
Both the Jersey Development Company and Cineworld will collaborate to keep the cinema operational until its eventual redevelopment. To avoid closure, it is crucial for islanders to increase their usage of the facility to ensure its financial viability.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
Box Office
Attendance Climbs 25% in Brazil During First Half of 2023
The Brazilian cinema industry is showing signs of recovery as it approaches pre-pandemic audience numbers. In the first half of 2023, 55.6 million movie tickets were sold, a 25% increase compared to the same period last year. The box office revenue for this year also reached BRL 1.1 billion, a 26.4% rise from the first half of 2022. Despite the growth, the industry still has a way to go to match the record-breaking year of 2019 when 172.2 million tickets were sold, generating BRL 2.7 billion in revenue. he disparity between the percentage of the audience and box office revenue is partly due to higher ticket prices in 2023 compared to 2019.
However, the Brazilian film market is facing challenges in the national cinema sector. Brazilian productions accounted for only 1.01% of ticket sales and 0.81% of box office revenue in the first half of 2023. This is a decrease compared to the previous year, with domestic films representing over 6% of the market share. The most-watched Brazilian film so far is “Desapega!” with 150.5 thousand viewers.
In terms of the most watched movies to date in Brazil during 2023 are topped by “Super Mario Bros.” with 6.3 million viewers, “Fast and Furious X” at 5.9 million, “Puss in Boots 2” at 5.2 million, “Avatar: The Way of Water” with 4.8 million tickets sold.
The Brazilian box office has been showing positive growth compared to the North American market, with a 25% increase in audience and revenue in the first half of 2023, compared to a 20.8% increase in the US and Canada. The global box office numbers for the first semester are yet to be fully determined, but a report from Gower Street Analytics increased its forecast for the worldwide box office to $32 billion for 2023, a 23% growth compared to 2022. Ancine, the Brazilian National Film Agency, has launched an interactive dashboard called “Indicators of the Exhibition Market” to monitor important figures in the Brazilian cinema industry.
Source: Exibidor
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Celluloid Junkie is the leading online resource dedicated to the global film and cinema business. The Marquee is our newsletter focused on motion picture exhibition; keeping industry professionals informed of important news, the latest trends and insightful analysis