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Distributors

Disney Reshuffles Release Dates For Major Releases

Disney has announced significant changes to its release calendar, including the addition of a new “Star Wars” film and a live-action adaptation of “Moana,” while delaying the next three “Avatar” movies by a year. The fifth “Avatar” installment is now scheduled for release in 2031, marking a 22-year gap since the original blockbuster.

The reshuffling also affects Marvel films, with “Captain America: Brave New World” moving to July 26, 2024, and causing a chain reaction of release date shifts for other Marvel projects. “Thunderbolts” will move to Dec. 20, 2024, “Blade” jumps to Feb. 14, 2025, and “Fantastic Four” bumps to May 2, 2025. “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” is getting pushed back an entire year, from May 2, 2025, to May 1, 2026. It’s taking the place of “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which is moving from May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2027.

The inclusion of a “Star Wars” film in December 2026 means that two movies from the franchise will be released in that year. Another “Star Wars” film has been pushed from December 2025 to May 2026, while a separate installment is slated for December 2027. The specific details and premises of these films have not been clarified by Disney. Additionally, an upcoming “Alien” movie produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Fede Alvarez is set to open on August 16, 2024.

Production delays and the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike have contributed to the overhaul of Disney’s release plan.

Source: Disney

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Exhibitors

South Korean Cinema Operators Raided by Police Over ‘Inflated Figures’

Seoul Metropolitan Police conducted raids on the offices of Korea’s top multiplex cinema operators and film distributors, accusing them of falsely inflating audience numbers for Korean films. The companies targeted in the raids include cinema chains CJ CGV, Megabox, and Lotte Cinema, as well as distributors Showbox, Lotte Entertainment, and Kidari. The distributors and cinema operators transmit ticket sales and revenue data electronically to the Korean Film Council’s (KOFIC) Korean Box Office Information System (Kobis). KOFIC utilizes this data to calculate a 3% ticket tax for a film development fund. The Korean box office suffered significant losses due to COVID-19 restrictions, with cinema capacity and concession sales limited until April 2022. While box office revenues have partially recovered in 2023, they remain 40% lower than the figures achieved in the same period in 2019.

The police raids were conducted by the anti-corruption and public crime investigation team, with the aim of investigating the alleged obstruction of KOFIC’s business by manipulating audience numbers. The companies are accused of providing false data to Kobis, which is responsible for aggregating, analyzing, and publishing box office information. KOFIC uses this data not only to track box office performance but also to calculate a ticket tax that contributes to a film development fund. The cinema industry in Korea has suffered significant losses due to COVID-19 restrictions, leading to closures of some venues and conversions of theaters into other facilities like gyms and climbing walls.

To encourage audiences to return to theaters rather than opt for online viewing, KOFIC introduced ticket subsidy coupons in 2020. However, the box office recovery in 2023 remains slower compared to pre-pandemic levels. While there has been a 57% improvement in box office revenues in the first five months of 2023 compared to 2022, it still lags 40% behind the figures achieved between January and May 2019.

Source: Variety

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Technology

Russia’s Film Industry Stymied by Inability to Import Western Technology

According to a report by RBC, the Russian film industry is facing challenges in finding domestic alternatives to imported equipment and software. The Gorky Film Studio’s accounting report for 2022 stated that 90% of the film industry relies on imported equipment, for which there are currently no domestic competitive alternatives available. With a lack of proposals from domestic companies, industry participants are resorting to purchasing equipment from abroad through so-called ‘friendly countries’, i.e. parallel imports. The process of import substitution in film production equipment and software is expected to be a long-term endeavor, lasting potentially years or even decades, according to Andrey Danilin, the General Director for Technical Issues of the Gorky Film Studio.

In addition to the equipment challenges, the film studios are also predicting a significant decline in the volume of the film market, estimating it to be around 50%. The departure of Hollywood distributors from Russia, combined with the impact of the pandemic, has resulted in a substantial decrease in box office receipts, causing further strain on the industry. However, the Ministry of Culture has reported that Russian films currently account for 79% of film distribution, and the box office earnings for domestic films in 2023 have already surpassed the annual box office of Russian cinema in the past eight years.

The difficulties in import substitution of film equipment have been acknowledged by other film studios as well. Lenfilm and the Mosfilm film concern have also highlighted the reliance on imported equipment in their annual reports. The challenges extend beyond equipment, as the software used for special effects production lacks competitive domestic alternatives. This has led some visual effects studios to relocate abroad, while those remaining in Russia are facing difficulties in accessing certain software. Additionally, the departure of Adobe from the Russian market has posed further challenges for the film and music industry in terms of software availability.

Source: Rossa Primavera

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Exhibitors

More Alamo Drafthouse Projectionists Look To Unionize

Projectionists at an Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn, known for its unique movie-watching experience with food and drinks, have filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Review Board. Shortly after the petition was filed, Alamo sent an internal email announcing plans to eliminate the projectionist position and replace it with a broader role called “technical engineer.” Alamo claims that the decision to cut projectionists was made prior to the unionization petition, but the entertainment industry union, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 306, speculates that the company may have been aware of the unionization efforts.

The new role of technical engineers will encompass the responsibilities of projectionists, as well as include tasks like equipment maintenance and testing new projection technology. While Alamo invited current projectionists to apply for the technical engineer position, those not rehired will lose their jobs. Concerns have been raised about the potential decline in presentation quality if projectionists are not staffed full-time. Workers fear that staff may be asked to fix presentation issues after they have already gone wrong. Alamo maintains that the decision to eliminate projectionists was driven by changes in the industry and advancements in technology, and not influenced by labor organizers. Indeed, Alamo is hardly the only exhibitor that has either eliminated projectionists from their payroll or delegated the position’s tasks to other staff members.

The current move to eliminate projectionists follows a trend of unionization efforts within the Alamo Drafthouse chain. Workers at the company’s flagship location in Austin successfully voted to unionize in February 2022 under the International Workers of the World union. Their demands included better wages, benefits, and improved COVID-19 protections. Another Alamo location in San Francisco also filed a petition to unionize in late October 2022. The unionization drive in Brooklyn aims to represent all Alamo theaters in the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Source: Audacy

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Cinemas

Korea’s Silver Cinema Points Way for Serving Older Audiences

Korea’s “Silver Cinema” has found a niche catering to older people who feel alienated by automation and technological advancements. The Silver Cinema, located in Seoul, South Korea, offers screenings of domestic and foreign classic films that are not shown in larger cinemas. The theater has become a favorite spot for older individuals, with an average of 500 daily visitors, most of whom are aged 60 or older. The cinema’s appeal lies in its affordable ticket prices, face-to-face ticketing service, large subtitles, and a welcoming atmosphere for seniors. However, the theater has faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and struggles to make a profit due to low ticket prices and reduced government support.

The Silver Cinema, which originated from the Hollywood Theater in 1969, was revamped in 2009 by a company called “theater that sells memories.” The theater focuses on screening nostalgic films and offers discounted admission fees for seniors aged 55 and older. The friendly and personal service, with ticket office staff instead of unmanned kiosks, appeals to older customers who may find modern automation difficult to navigate. The subtitles in the cinema are also 1.5 times larger than regular theaters, making it easier for seniors with visual impairments to enjoy the films.

Despite the challenges faced by the Silver Cinema, including temporary closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater has managed to retain a loyal customer base. The cinema’s unique features, such as face-to-face ticketing, large subtitles, and a coffee shop selling traditional snacks, have endeared it to the older population. Many regular customers appreciate the comfortable and inclusive atmosphere of the theater, where they can enjoy films without feeling out of place among younger audiences. However, the theater’s financial sustainability remains uncertain due to low ticket prices and reduced government support, posing a potential threat to its continued operation.

Source: Chusun Biz

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