It is currently a difficult time for cinema operators. On the one hand, many films have been postponed or moved directly to streaming offers. On the other hand, the movie theaters in many regions of the world had to close anyway. So the income has dropped extremely. The largest cinema chain in the world, AMC Theaters, now sees itself without money at the beginning of 2021.
According to Filing with the SEC, the US Securities and Ecxhange Commission, the financial resources could in the worst case be used up as early as January 2021. It would probably take an additional $ 750 million to keep the business running. You also vent your anger at Warner Bros., which want to offer all the movies next year on the cinema release via HBO Max. AMC Theaters fears that this drastic step could inspire other studios as well.
While Warner has announced that it should be a special rule for 2021, some industry insiders assume that this strategy could be long-term if it is well received by customers and financially sustainable. AMC Theaters also fears that the viewing behavior of customers could change permanently as a result.
It is clear that the future of cinema looks more uncertain than ever. The director Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”) had since in a long post at Variety made the cinema experience strong for the future, which, according to him, is an important community experience that cannot be given up.
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