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Nov 11, 2024

The death of the cinema run: How streamers and social media spoilers are killing how long films are being shown on the big screen

By AIDAN RADNEDGE 11:08 11 Nov 2024, updated 12:04 11 Nov 2024 Comments Comments Streaming sites and social media spoilers have been blamed for slashing the amount of time being given to major movies

By AIDAN RADNEDGE 11:08 11 Nov 2024, updated 12:04 11 Nov 2024

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Streaming sites and social media spoilers have been blamed for slashing the amount of time being given to major movies in cinemas.

The average number of weeks in which high-profile films can be watched on the silver screen has plunged, new analysis shows.

Much-hyped releases such as Joker: Folie A Deux and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice are among the expensive releases which have appeared in multiplexes only to swiftly shift to online streaming websites.

The wait for a film to move from big to small screen is reportedly now a third of the time it was 20 years ago.

Movies are spending an average of 2.9 weeks in cinemas this year, according to figures from the website Box Office Mojo.

That is down from three weeks last year, 4.27 a decade ago and 4.57 in 2006.

The analysis is based on major movies shown nationwide since 2005, screened in at least 100 cinemas across the UK.

Industry chiefs have pointed the finger at both streaming sites and social media for the trend against long runs for films on cinema release.

Tim Richards, chief executive and founder of cinema giant Vue Entertainment, told how audiences were increasingly less likely to keep turning up during lengthy screen spells - with quickfire viewing the priority.

He said: 'Social media is driving the immediacy of film going in the earlier weeks, changing how we schedule films.

'People want to see films quickly to join the online discussion, but also to avoid spoilers.'

But he insisted that this did not indicate a decline in interest - but instead just a rush to watch new releases as soon as possible.

He added: 'It is not a question of performance. Movies are not only performing - they are overperforming.'

Pixar film Inside Out 2 this summer became the highest grossing animated film of all time, after its release as a sequel to the first film which came out nine years ago.

Meanwhile, fellow 2024 release Deadpool & Wolverine has brought in the most money for a movie given the US R-rating certificate - a 15 in the UK.

Yet critically-acclaimed films have been showing on big screens for limited runs, including Priscilla Presley biopic Priscilla - directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Cailee Spaeny in the title role and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley.

That made £1.4million in its first weekend in UK cinemas but lasted just three weeks on big screens across the country.

Meanwhile, critically-acclaimed psychological thrillers Mothers' Instinct featuring Anne Hathaway and Blink Twice starring Channing Tatum were only in venues for two and four weeks respectively, the Times reported.

Sean Dyer, 21, a filmmaking student at Kingston University, complained of missing out on A Quiet Place: Day One this summer due to it only lasting three weeks in cinemas.

He said: 'I wish the less-hyped films would get more screen time but no one in the industry takes risks these days - it's just money driven.'

He told how his favourite film of last year was Babylon - starring A-listers Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt - and yet it was only given three weeks in cinemas.

He added: 'It was kicked out way too soon. Avatar 2 was in theatres for almost half a year - that’s ludicrous.

'I wanted to take a friend to go see [Babylon] but the only showing at our local was at 11pm on a really small screen.

'They didn’t even turn the lights down properly and the two other guys in there sat on their phones the whole time - it was bizarre.'

University of East Anglia film and TV professor Keith Johnston suggested: 'Studios are more risk averse, led less by filmmakers and more by accountants and algorithms.

'Investment in more franchise films tends to squeeze out mid-budget films that would traditionally have longer runs than a blockbuster which has to perform big in its first week.

'Studios need the big opening to justify huge movie budgets and mobilise fan investment. The push to get audiences in early means each film has to be the next big thing, before the next big thing eclipses it.'

And yet there can be exceptions when it comes to the most lucrative blockbusters, it appears.

Oppenheimer, for which Irish actor Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor Oscar earlier this year, ran for 17 weeks in more than 100 cinemas across Britain in 2023, while Barbie's screentime lasted 16 weeks.

Cinemas have been under pressure in recent years from not only the rise of streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ but also the Covid pandemic lockdown which forced them to close their doors for long stretches,

But it emerged last month that one of the UK's biggest cinema chains could be back from the brink after a successful restructuring bid in the High Court.

Four companies which form part of troubled cinema operator Cineworld had plans approved to stave off the threat of administration with a £16million cash injection.

Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd and Cineworld Estates Ltd are parts of the UK arm of the world's second-largest cinema chain but were at risk of entering administration if the restructuring was not approved, the court heard.

The court in London previously heard that the four companies, which run 101 sites and employ 4,401 staff, form part of a wider group which operates cinemas in 10 countries, including the US under the Regal Cinemas brand.

The approval means £16million of new equity funding from the companies' indirect parent firm could be released to fund their immediate financial needs, with further funds of up to £35million also to be made available as the four firms renegotiate the leases of some of their venues.

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