Will we see an American blockbuster in cinema before 2022?
Like the new James Bond which was to be released in theaters on November 11, most behemoths of American cinema prefer to “zap” the year 2021 because of the health crisis. Bad news for exhibitors… but not necessarily for French films.
He was to invade our regions on November 11 to celebrate his new adventures entitled, You Can’t Be Invented, Dying Can Wait . But he preferred to wait until the next year to unveil his unprecedented exploits and celebrate the box office…
Just like the indestructible James Bond, we can no longer count the huge productions that desert the dark rooms. Some, such Mulan or Soul, from Disney, land directly on the streaming platform of the “parent company” and can therefore be discovered on small screens.
Other blockbusters, like Wonder Woman , Dune , Black Widow and so many other Hollywood “flagships”, are scheduled for release at later dates, mostly in 2021, and announce very few festive parties for them. To watch movies of various categories ie.Hollywood,Bollywood,Hindi etc. go to Oreo TV for PC. It has many options to watch movies and videos like Netflix, amazon prime, etc.
THE TENET DISAPPOINTMENT
Sign of the painful times: the overpowered Cineworld-Regal operating circuit, in the United States and the United Kingdom, announced last week the temporary closure of hundreds of theaters pending hypothetical better days.
And in France? Marc-Olivier Sebbag, the general delegate of the National Federation of French Cinemas, has a front row seat to see the damage and he deplores these mass desertions. “As a general rule, blockbusters absolutely need cinemas,” he explains.
The exploitation on the platforms is not sufficient to cushion their manufacturing blows and even less to reap profits. For this reason, their theatrical releases are postponed and not canceled. Problem: a lot of American theaters have been closed for several months in New York and Los Angeles and local decision-makers, obsessed with their domestic market, do not consider that their big films can first be released in other territories, even if Europe or China would be quite capable of accommodating them.
This situation has serious consequences for many French cinemas which suffer from a shortage of films likely to welcome the general public ”
The only exception in the disaster landscape of the blockbuster: Tenet by Christopher Nolan , which invaded theaters at the end of August. If the film was a hit in France (2.5 million admissions), this is not the case in the United States where, with many cinemas being closed, the film did not obtain the expected results. Result: for the time being, despite its 307 billion worldwide revenues, Tenet is not the announced savior of the globalized cinema economy.
ANTOINETTE IN THE CÉVENNES, LA DARONNE: SMALL FRENCH SUCCESSES
In France, this exceptional cultural land revered by creators around the world, the atmosphere is heavy on the side of operators who, after having suffered the closure of their establishments during the period of confinement, are now seeing frequent recovery. too timidly for their liking. ”
The first word that comes to mind to define the situation is frustration,” continues Marc-Olivier Sebbag.We are living a paradox: our cinemas are open, the public is often there for French films, but there is a lack of supply for big American films. There is something unfair. Our operating conditions are almost normal, but we are subject to decisions taken in New York and Los Angeles, where the authorities have decreed that going to the movies is much more dangerous than going to a restaurant or a bowling alley.”
A paradox to say the least painful when we know the economic reality of cinema in France. In 2019, the “pre-Covid” year, attendance in French theaters was good and stood at 213.3 million admissions, the second highest level since 1966 (234.2 million) and the sixth consecutive year above 200 million! Exception in the world: these amazing figures did not only serve the blockbusters and mass entertainment conceived in Hollywood, since the market share of French films amounted to 35%.
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The figures for 2020 will obviously not reach these heights. Thus, in August 2020, according to figures provided by the CNC (National Center for Cinematography), theaters in France welcomed 6.8 million spectators, ie… 58% less than last year in the same period. Nevertheless, despite the post Covid summer unattractive for dark rooms, the latter, between June 22, the date of the reopening of cinemas halls, and the end of August were ” still ” cumulative 13 million entries, which is certainly not nothing.
Among the beneficiaries, many French films which take advantage of the lack of competition to settle in theaters over time and to delight spectators. At the top of the list: Clear History , duo DelĂ©pine / Kerven (500,000 admissions) Antoinette in the CĂ©vennes , Caroline Vignal (600,000 admissions in four weeks of operation) or even La daronne , by Jean-Paul SalomĂ© and Les appearances , by Marc Fitoussi who had a successful start in September and are currently pursuing their “career”.
OTHER EXPECTED FILMS
The next few weeks should be even more favorable for the French cinema with the releases, among others, of Adieu les cons , the new creaking comedy of Albert Dupontel, on October 21, and of Aline, the real false biopic on Celine Dion by Valérie Lemercier.
On the side of Gaumont, the distributor of the two films, we do not hide its satisfaction to see the blockbusters put away in the closet. The French firm thus published a mocking press release on October 5 after learning of the postponement in 2021 of the new James Bond ” Initially scheduled for a theatrical release on November 11, 2020, the film Aline was seen, by the arrival of Mourir can expect that same day, forced to postpone its release date to November 18, 2020. Mister Bond having decided to postpone its worldwide release again, it is therefore without hesitation that we made the decision to return to its original release date.”
What to rejoice without blinking? Not really. The balance of French cinema depends to a large extent on the overall attendance in theaters and the latter will not be able to be satisfied eternally with French productions. “ To put it simply, half of the market and half of the film offer goes to absent subscribers. So much the better for the French fictions which work and which can settle in the long term. Some works are doing well, but not the theaters…
For the moment, we are surviving because public aid is available, but we are impatiently waiting for the market to recover. The situation is not sustainable over time: if it were to continue, cinemas would probably be forced to close in France.”
