Movies: The Beginning of the End?
Will movies go by the wayside in the coming years? I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking these horrifying thoughts.
I love the whole theater experience, but there are plenty of film-goers who don’t mind waiting for the DVDs to come out — which seems to take less and less time. Sometimes the movies are still in theaters when the DVD hits store shelves. It’s madness! And in some cases, they’re released at the same time.
And you have to wonder if movies are making money for the powers that be. This week, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (SKE) announced it will slash its slate from five to six films per year down to two or three, as reported in Variety.
The 80-year-old Kimmel, a garment industry billionaire who’s backed such films as “Clan of the Cave Bear and “Nine 1/2 Weeks,” made the call after disappointing box office numbers on recent films.
More after the jump…
The company also pink-slipped six L.A.-based employees, and plans to partner with studios to market and distribute its titles, rather than marketing its own films and distributing them via MGM. Recent releases via MGM include “Lars and the Real Girl,” which grossed $6 million; “Charlie Bartlett,” which took in $3.7 million; and “Death at a Funeral,” which landed $8.5 million.
Recent successes include “United 93″ and “Breach,” which both grossed more than $30 million and were released through Universal. SKE also backed “The Kite Runner,” which Par Vantage released to $15 million domestic.
I would hate to think that the movie industry is dying. But it’ll be interesting to see how film companies bend with the times to give movie-goers what they want — without going broke in the process.
Photo: The Kite Runner, Paramount Vantage, 2007
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POSTED IN: Box Office News, Distribution, Film Industry, Film Rumors, Now Playing, Site News
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