Can Movie Theaters Be Saved?
Welcome to the latest episode of One Moore Hollywood Podcast! In this episode, our hosts Chris Moore, Katie Marpe, and Dennis De Nobile gather to chat about one of their favorite things: movie theaters. Specifically, they try to answer the question: Are there ways to predict what the audience wants to see in a theater versus from their couch?
Let's see what they have to say.
What's Working and What's Not?
So far this year, De Nobile has seen 12 movies in theaters. According to him, every non-basic screening, meaning every screening that's shown on an IMAX screen, like Dune: Part 2, is packed to the gills. The regular showings tend to be less attended unless it's opening weekend for a movie that's an event in and of itself, like Barbie or Oppenheimer. However, those event films are few and far between.
Moore used to see movies every week, but now, with less desirable movies in theaters and tickets often at $19 a pop, he prioritizes it less, even though he enjoys the experience every time he decides to go. The movies he's had the most fun seeing recently have had effects that worked well on the big screen. Godzilla x King: The New Empire and Dune: Part 2 were films he wanted to see in the theaters precisely because of the visuals and how he imagined they would translate.
Besides the uptick in movie ticket prices (ironically, the prices were upped because fewer people were going), there's also way more to do than go to the movie theaters these days. Now, with entertainment as immediate and accessible as the phone in your pocket, it's less exciting to drag yourself to a theater unless you really want to go.
And that's what our hosts are curious about finding out. What motivates people to go to the theaters, and what movie experiences do they want?
Despite appreciating many different genres of movies, Marpe prefers to see fun, feel-good films in theaters rather than horror. Romantic comedies are her cup of tea, and she's excited for them to make their theatrical comeback.
Predictability in Entertainment
Marpe references Judd Apatow's recent remark that Hollywood will chase anything that does well. He assumes the market will eventually swing back to comedy films despite them not being at the forefront of entertainment created right now. For Marpe, this is a good reminder of how the Hollywood pendulum swings, staying in a particular genre for a while and then moving on to another. It might be superheroes today, but it could be romantic comedies tomorrow.
According to Moore, the director George Stevens gave an excellent summary of how Hollywood operates. Stevens said, "The game is to promise them what they expect and then give them something they wish they had thought of." To Moore's disappointment, Hollywood has struggled to live by this motto lately. Instead, Hollywood seems more often swayed by the promise of money through predictability rather than surprise and inventiveness. "They're trying too hard to repeat themselves," Moore says.
As movies like the Road House remake prove (dubbed "soulless" by De Nobile), predictable and nostalgia-driven content isn't always going to hit. Hollywood would do well to remember that their audience is more intelligent than they think. Here's to hoping they will.
Listen to the entire episode here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio.
