In the wake of movie theaters closing due to COVID-19, movies were either delayed or released both in the remaining open theaters and on demand. Several movie theater chains spoke out against this, including AMC Theaters, as it directly impacted their profits. Now that COVID-19 regulations are lightening up, film companies are shifting back towards only releasing their movies in theaters. While an exclusive theatrical release might seem ideal for theater chains, people should be able to see films in the way that best suits them.
Theaters are great for experiencing movies with an audience just as invested as you are. At the same time, watching them at home can be more affordable, and give a more personal experience if you’re watching it with family. There are benefits to both, not everyone is going to strictly want one way or the other. For example, I prefer watching movies in theaters, but I don’t want to always watch them that way. There are times when watching them at home can be more convenient, or even a better experience overall.
Back in August, I was excited to watch DC’s latest film, “The Suicide Squad.” I couldn’t get to a theater the weekend it came out, but I wanted to watch it then to avoid spoilers. Fortunately, it was available on HBO Max the same day it was released in theaters. The movie is fairly gory and raunchy, which is a type I don’t watch all that often. Though I ended up liking “The Suicide Squad”, I wouldn’t have been able to watch it uninterrupted in a dark theater. Watching it at home let me pause it at the bloody bits and take breaks when I needed to. When I was ready, I could play it again without missing a beat.
At the end of the day, with the simultaneous release model, the risk of theater companies losing their profit is still there. They can’t make money if people are staying at home, so the simultaneous release could be seen as harming the business. But in a way, it can also help it. Letting people make the choice of where to watch movies gives them more options to show their support. If more people support a movie, more movies are made, which would bring more of them to theaters. Regardless of how people enjoy watching films, giving them the freedom to choose encourages them to come back for more.
