Summer movie box office sales down 20%

[mmntech]

So apparently Hollywood is taking a beating this summer with lower ticket sales. A lot of films are struggling to break even. Naturally, the studios are perplexed as to why this might be. Naturally they're pulling back their usual bag of tricks. Piracy was mentioned a few times in last night's news report.

Industry analysts though seem to feel that Hollywood lacks diversity in its films. They keep shooting for the fences with big blockbusters, and people are no longer wowed by them. There's not enough "middle-of-the-road" films to fill in those gaps.
http://variety.com/2014/film/news/summer-box-office-shrinks-but-so-do-the-flops-1201265467/

So everyone is now bored with the big superhero films, and that's all Hollywood seems to have planned for the rest of the decade. Oops.

 

[dank69]

Time to raise ticket prices, that will surely help.

 

[JEDI]

w/the success of frozen and mockingjay, I bet we're going to see a slew of strong female hero movies

 

[rudder]

I like going to the movies but it is a hassle in the summertime to smuggle in all my candy and drinks.

 

[biostud]

Tv series are more enjoyable than the Hollywood crap.

 

[Genx87]

Have to admit while a movie is enjoyable. During the summer months sitting in a movie for 2 hours doesnt interest me. And while the experience is really good at the theater near me. Sometimes I just feel like waiting for it to show up on Netflix.

 

[KeithP]

w/the success of frozen and mockingjay, I bet we're going to see a slew of strong female hero movies

Mockingjay hasn't been released yet. Do you mean Catching Fire? While it did better than the first installment it actually came in under expectations and was consider a disappoint, at least from what I have read.

In the case of Frozen, Disney had to create a trailer that basically lied to the viewers by hiding the fact that it was a musical about two sisters.

-KeithP

 

[mmntech]

Have to admit while a movie is enjoyable. During the summer months sitting in a movie for 2 hours doesnt interest me. And while the experience is really good at the theater near me. Sometimes I just feel like waiting for it to show up on Netflix.

I'm not a big movie watcher but I'd love to get a projector and do movie night in my backyard. Would be far more enjoyable that going to the theatre.

I think you'll eventually start seeing the whole cinema system getting phased out over the next decade in favour of direct digital releases. A lot of indie filmmakers are already doing that. It's a cost effective way to reach a wide audience.

 

[Red Storm]

In the case of Frozen, Disney had to create a trailer that basically lied to the viewers by hiding the fact that it was a musical about two sisters.

Frozen was a big success because they borrowed heavily from The Lion King.

 

[bearxor]

Just wait until next weekend...

 

[Exterous]

Piracy was mentioned a few times in last night's news report.

Shocking.

Time to raise ticket prices, that will surely help.

And popcorn. I know that will make me spend more to see a reboot of a reboot

I think Hollywood needs to get used to the idea that the proliferation of large TVs and affordable sound systems is making the home a more attractive place to watch movies compared to the sticky floored, over priced food\drink movie theater full of annoying people and their bright, non-vibrate mode phones

 

[ultimatebob]

Wait, you're telling me that people are finally sick of super hero sequels and reboots? You don't say.

 

[Spydermag68]

The problem I have with going to the movies is how movie studios make their money. They use to be based on the sales of the tickets but now it is an upfront cost to each movie theatre. That raised the prices of the tickets and then they skyrocketed the price of popcorn and drinks. I was shocked after not going to a movie theatre for 3 year how high the food jumped.

 

[Genx87]

I'm not a big movie watcher but I'd love to get a projector and do movie night in my backyard. Would be far more enjoyable that going to the theatre.

I think you'll eventually start seeing the whole cinema system getting phased out over the next decade in favour of direct digital releases. A lot of indie filmmakers are already doing that. It's a cost effective way to reach a wide audience.

I think you are correct. Eventually these movies will be released right to digital.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Piracy. Piracy. Piracy.

Prosecuting 12 year olds just isn't helping. We need to start raiding the homes of these little bastards,...

 

[Kneedragger]

Piracy. Piracy. Piracy.

Prosecuting 12 year olds just isn't helping. We need to start raiding the homes of these little bastards,...

I was gonna say the same thing. They will use this as an excuse to get on their soap box..

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Note to movie industry: If you want me to go to a movie theater, give me a reason. With overpriced food and people on cell phones, the theater experience flat out sucks. And maybe 1 movie in 1000 is "OMG, I have to see that on a big screen now!" while the other 999 are "meh, wait for DVD release, watch at home". I'm not pirating your re-packaged crap, most of it isn't even good enough to want to steal it let alone to want to pay for it.

 

[ImpulsE69]

So if my 70" tv is pointed toward my large front window and the neighbors are sitting in their lawnchairs watching it (because my windows are open and stereo cranked) are they going to raid the neighborhood for piracy?

Entertainment has the biggest scape goat ever as an excuse for doing a bad job. I used to be an avid movie goer, and still do on occasion, but honestly, there has barely been any movies that has made me go "oh I want to see that in the theater" in the last 2 years.

 

[Schfifty Five]

The problem I have with going to the movies is how movie studios make their money. They use to be based on the sales of the tickets but now it is an upfront cost to each movie theatre. That raised the prices of the tickets and then they skyrocketed the price of popcorn and drinks. I was shocked after not going to a movie theatre for 3 year how high the food jumped.

It is pretty insane how much it costs for a ticket + concessions. Luckily I have a cinemark near me and I try to do the following:

• BOGO Fridays via Fandango (Visa Signature) $11-16 for two tickets.
• Reusable large soda cup $3 fill ups (cost $6.50 original one time cost)
• Free Medium popcorn with purchase of any drink via weekly email coupon

Final price is less than $20 for two tickets, drink and popcorn.

 

[DrPizza]

Adjusted for inflation, actor and actress salaries have been increasing over the decades. Adjusted for inflation, movie ticket prices have been increasing over the decades.

In the 2000's, with far more entertainment options to choose from, and movies being relatively more expensive compared to their cost to consumers as a percent of salary in the past, is it any wonder that eventually consumers choose to spend their money elsewhere? Add on the lack of creativity, some consumers are probably starting to get bored with all the remakes.

Now, on top of the (adjusted for inflation) ticket prices that have been going up, you have the FAR outpacing inflation costs for those other things that add to the movie experience - popcorn, soda, etc. I've stopped going to theaters for a variety of reasons. First - I don't believe your "we have to charge so much because we don't make money on the tickets." What? $40 (including popcorn and soda for 2) You've alienated me as a customer & it'll take quite a bit to get me back. Second, so many of the movies are crap. Third, I've got a large screen TV & can rent a movie for just a couple bucks, or stick to avenues such as Netflix, Prime, etc. Sure, I don't get all the new releases, but there's plenty to watch, and I don't feel cheated if I turn the movie off half way through because it sucks. Oh, and 4th, most of the theaters don't give a shit about obnoxious customers. Weird that back when minimum wage was twice the cost of a movie, they were able to afford an usher to take care of disruptive people in the audience. I'm not getting up in the middle of a movie, leaving to go complain, and missing part of the movie as a result - I'll just grumble through it & leave having had a poor experience.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Note to movie industry: If you want me to go to a movie theater, give me a reason. With overpriced food and people on cell phones, the theater experience flat out sucks. And maybe 1 movie in 1000 is "OMG, I have to see that on a big screen now!" while the other 999 are "meh, wait for DVD release, watch at home". I'm not pirating your re-packaged crap, most of it isn't even good enough to want to steal it let alone to want to pay for it.

C'mon man, it's half way through 2014, you should be saying blu-ray instead of DVD now

 

[pontifex]

Shitty movies and high prices.

how much does it cost for a family of 4 to go see a movie and have some snacks these days? Probably well over $100 I'd guess.

The prices of goods and services just keeps going up but people's paychecks aren't going up.

 

[Homerboy]

Impossibly expensive for my family of 4 to see a movie together - $10-$15 per ticket. Some snacks (yes, they are "required". It is part of the experience itself) and you're talking just south of $100. That's ridiculous. We can wait until it's available on BR, make our own (much more delicious) popcorn and pause the movie if my 64oz of soda makes me take a pee break.

I love the movie theater "experience"... but it just in my middle-class families budget anymore.

 

[vi edit]

Well gee, you have a sequel to a kids cartoon that should have been direct to video in the first place (Planes 2).

A sequel to a movie that never needed a sequel. The Purge.

The sequel to a remake. Dawn of the Apes.

A comedy with a fat, obnoxious blob that has no right trying to carry a movie. Tammy.

The *FOURTH* installment to a kids cartoon from the 80's. Transformers.

A sequel to a remake of an 80's television show. 22 Jump Street.

A sequel to a kids movie that actually did fairly well. Train your Dragon 2.

And you wonder why sales are down???

 

[MetalMat]

I will go when the finally reboot Batman. Batman begins is just way too old at this point.