It's been a strange few weeks for film fans as countless upcoming releases (Black Widow) have either been postponed or unexpectedly released (Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey) on Digital platforms. Movie theaters remain closed due to COVID-19 concerns, and there's one prolific Hollywood producer who is convinced that the business will never be the same again.
"I think it’s not realistic to think all the studios are going to wait four months before they put a movie at home," The Invisible Man producer Jason Blum says. "They just can’t compete, they’re going to have to compete with Amazon and Netflix and Apple in a different way."
"There’s going to be shifts. The consumer is going to be more used to staying at home. Something is going to give, there has to be something that’s going to happen post-corona. The movie business will look different after the coronavirus."
The Blumhouse producer went on to explain that he doesn't think movie theaters are ever going away, but noted that he's convinced there will be fewer films actually playing in them. "I think there’ll be less movies in theaters, there’ll be less of a selection, or I should say, there’ll be many many fewer movies in theaters with the window, and I think there’ll be many many more movies in theaters, but they only last for a week or two."
Blum makes a lot of very valid points, and it's hard to imagine studios not looking at making that release window smaller depending on how much success the likes of Bloodshot and Onward have found. If things return to normal in a month or two, then the only real impact COVID-19 will have had is that theaters will be exceptionally busy over the fall.
However, if this situation lasts most of 2020, then Blum's prediction is likely to become a reality.