It seems like it’s been a long time coming, but I really feel that now is a great time to go to the movies. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept many people in the world home watching shows on streaming TV and although a number of these shows are entertaining, they aren’t the blockbusters in a state-of-the-art movie theatre that we’ve come to know and love. Granted, I’m sure the pandemic has given rise to a large population of homebodies who enjoy being able to work all day from their home and then “commuting” to their new after-work hot spot, the living room couch, to watch some Netflix or HBOMax while using their cell phone or tablet to keep up with their friends.

BUT, this isn’t a post for my fellow homebodies. No, this post is for my fellow extroverts (I’m a hybrid, don’t judge me). Here, I talk about that magical place called the movie theatres.

First, let me say that I’m not a big-time movie buff (I will recognize an actor or two on the screen and certain names that catch my eye during the credits and I’ll run to IMDB or Wikipedia to try to confirm my suspicions) nor am I a big-time audiophile or videophile (I do know that CD and Blu-Ray quality media is better than most streaming media people consume). But, I have seen enough movies at home and in the theatre to know that there is a difference between something made for TV or to stream and a blockbuster made for the theatres.

How Quick We Forget (Those Numbers)

It’s amazing that not too long ago, people were clamoring to see the latest movies. Men and women, boys and girls worldwide were spending billions of dollars to see if the Avengers will save us from Thanos. Let’s be honest, we were practically throwing our wallets at Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. to see the latest sci-fi, superhero, or animated blockbuster. According to Box Office Mojo, the domestic box office totals reached at least $10.5B a year from 2009 to 2019. In those 10 years, Hollywood was a machine cranking out more action-packed franchise favorite movies than any other time in recent memory.

Then 2020 came and changed everything. In 2019, Hollywood took in $11.3B led by Avengers: Endgame, part two of Avengers: Infinity War. Although 2019 was slightly less than the all-time record set in 2018 (~$11.9B domestically), in 2020 the numbers clearly fell off a cliff.

Hollywood only took in $2.1B domestically all 2020, an 81% drop. Bad Boys 4 Life, which was the highest-grossing movie domestically in that year, took in only ~$206M and is the only movie to break $200M in that year…and it was released on January 17th (yes, I know! Frozen 2, Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and Jumanji 2 did numbers, but most of their money was made in 2019). The year before, all the movies in the top 10 broke $200M.

Although 2021 is doing better than 2020 in terms of domestic receipts, as I type this in the beginning of November, Hollywood just broke $3B in receipts, way below 2019’s numbers.

The silver lining is that 2021 looks to finish up strong with several good movies coming soon. Movies like Clifford the Big Red Dog (my kids already want to see it), Ghostbusters: Afterlife, King Richard, House of Gucci, Encanto, West Side Story, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Nightmare Alley, The Matrix: Resurrections, the King’s Man, Cyrano and Sing 2. I think that 2021 has a chance to hit $5B, which should set up 2022 well to get to at least $7.5B…

So Many Streams

…although big-budget streaming services are here to stay and they are changing the industry. Initially, services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video were simply another outlet for production companies like Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, and 20th Century Fox to get their content out to the consumers.

Then, in order to grow their businesses (and not be at the mercy of the few major content creators in Hollywood, since I’m sure that Netflix and Amazon realized that in the very near future, these major production companies will start their own streaming services, which would have eroded their revenues and subscription numbers significantly), Netflix and Amazon decided to produce content themselves to bring value to their growing customer base and bring value to their shareholders. The move worked for both companies, although their business models are slightly different (All of Netflix content is ready to view, without commercials, with no further purchases needed whereas some of Amazon’s content needs to be purchased to view), their customer bases and revenues grew greatly.

An unwritten rule in business is that once a company has success in a market, competition is sure to follow. Not only did the major content producers want in on this new streaming market, but it can be said that they felt a bit ticked that Netflix and Amazon streaming businesses became behemoths in a few short years off of their catalogs that they’ve taken decades to build.

Now, we have an insane amount of major and minor streaming services available to us and they are all fighting tooth and nail for our attention. It’s virtually impossible to watch all the content on one of these services in your lifetime and we currently have a choice of at least a dozen of them. Some are better than others and some are worth subscribing to more than others.

Whether you have a smart TV, smartphone, tablet, or another streaming device, many of these streaming services are just a downloaded app away from you bingeing on your favorite show or movie series.

Perspective People!

Streaming services are like cooking at home. It’s gradually replacing OTA/cable TV content as streaming for many people is a great way to ditch DVRs and VCRs to watch video on demand. Also, some streaming services are fancy like Applebees in that they offer a great amount of content to watch that you most likely would never see on network TV (I don’t see shows like Squid Games coming to your local NBC or FOX channels anytime soon).

For people who invest in high-quality audio and video equipment, major streamers such as Netflix, HBOMax, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Disney+ offer bleeding-edge specs like 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio (best specs as of this writing) for a truly immersive at-home streaming experience that rivals some smaller movie theatres. But, do we really want to cancel all movie theatres, especially ones with IMAX screens that can show movies like Dune, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, in the most immersive way possible and actually makes the movie that much better? It’s like canceling the casual dining or fine dining experience because you’ve got the latest kitchen appliances that allow you to make better dishes at home than you were able to before.

For me, the best reason not to cancel movie theatres, no matter what streamers like HBOMax or Disney+ may suggest (anyone else feels that releasing films both in theatres and online on the same day is a horrible idea? I totally understand why directors, producers, and film stars are against it…cannibalization at its worst), is the social aspect. As a self-described hybrid introvert and extrovert (I’m an inexvert. I’m dealing with it), I understand the mentalities of both groups. But, the movie theatre is one of those places that is great for both groups of people. How many of you have gone to someone’s house on a first date to watch a movie? Do you meet up in your home lobby (aka living room) with friends buying concessions before the previews start? “Tenured” couples I know still get away from home, the kids, etc. by going to the theatres and relaxing for a few hours with their significant other after dinner at a nice restaurant.

Movie theatres are a significant option when you want to hang out with friends as well as having a place to share a great experience with a special someone if you’re not as social. Streaming services are also a great entertainment option and have earned their place in people’s lives as a form of entertainment. The convenience of entertaining family and friends in the comfort of your home on a system with an 85-inch screen can seem like nirvana, but streaming services should not be seen as a replacement for the movie theatre experience.

So, what do you think? Have you been to the movies in this new COVID world to see a great flick and hang out with friends? Or have you beefed up your home entertainment system and decided to see everything you would see in the theatres at home? What are some of the key reasons for your decision? Let me know in the comments below!