Langsung ke konten utama

Postingan

Menampilkan postingan dari Oktober, 2020

Cinionic Expands Laser Portfolio with New Barco Series 4 Projectors

PRESS RELEASE Cinionic—the Barco, CGS, and ALPD cinema joint venture—announces SP2K, the Barco Series 4 projector for smaller screens. The new line-up includes four new SP2K models ranging from 6,000 to 15,000 lumens, rounding out the Series 4 family. “Worldwide, cinema is forging a path to recovery. As a global leader, we know that times like these require creativity and innovation, and that’s why we continue to invest to power a bright future,” added Wim Buyens, CEO, Cinionic. “With laser solutions for all exhibitors, Cinionic is committed to delivering the best experience on every screen.” Designed for smaller screens, the Barco SP2K-7, SP2K-9, SP2K-11, and SP2K-15 yield the perfect resolution for brilliant images that will remain constant over time. The SP2K units are designed to be exceptionally quiet, with a noise output of only 40dB, making boothless installations easy for compact auditoriums. “We are continuously looking for ways to help differentiate the theater experience fro

Weekend Box Office Forecast: Will Come Play Dethrone Honest Thief for a First Place Halloween Debut?

The domestic market is grinding through what’s long been evident to become a slow portion of the theatrical reopening phase ever since major studios fled the fall season, delaying their tentpoles due to the effects of the pandemic. As October comes to a close, only one new film is heading into wide release this weekend: Focus Features’ Come Play . The PG-13 horror thriller is ideally timed for Halloween weekend with the holiday landing on a Saturday this year. Boasting a short 96-minute run time, the film’s accessibility is a strength as it aims to draw fans of the genre at the peak of spooky season. Come Play ‘s marketing footprint has been respectable for a non-major studio release (although Focus is parented by Universal). Social media metrics are modest, but the film has generated over 8 million views from its official trailer page on YouTube since debuting in late August. Current models suggest it should outperform fellow genre pic The Empty Man , which bowed to lukewarm results

This Week on the Boxoffice Podcast: How Regional Film Festivals Are Adapting to Covid-19

Lela Meadow-Conner, executive director of the Film Festival Alliance (FFA), joins Rebecca Pahle and Russ Fischer on this week’s episode of the Boxoffice Podcast. A non-profit organization designed to create a collaborative networking space for mission-driven film festivals around the world, the FFA—like their counterparts in the wider exhibition landscape—found themselves having to make major shifts in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Member festivals have had to shift from in-person events to online, all the while making a concerted effort to maintain established community ties while also reaching new audiences at a time when there’s a glut of streaming competition. Also in this episode of the Boxoffice Podcast: a rundown of recent news both domestic and international (including Studio Movie Grill filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and a raft of closures and restrictions that have hit the European market in the last weeks ) as well as insight from Boxoffice Pro Chief Analyst Shawn Ro

Holding Down the Fort: Shelli Taylor Joins Alamo Drafthouse as New CEO

The world was a very different place when Shelli Taylor began the series of conversations with Alamo Drafthouse that would land her in the exhibition industry, even if it was just 10 months ago, in late December 2019. Only one month later, cinemas in China would close due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In February, northern Italy followed. Within weeks, the bulk of the world’s theaters—including those in the United States—had stopped in-person operations. And on April 30, 2020, Shelli Taylor was announced as the new CEO of cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse. “The goal of the role was very different” when she first signed on, says Taylor, with classic understatement. Covid-19 crystallized her number one responsibility—nothing less than keeping her company afloat through a frightening pandemic and confronting its ripple effects on the exhibition industry: closures, wobbly theatrical exclusivity windows, and a film slate that can’t seem to stay put. When Covid hit the U.S., “I decided to leap anyw

European Cinemas Face Second Round of Closures, Additional Restrictions Due to Covid-19 Spike

Cinemas across Europe are dealing with a new wave of government-mandated closures and restrictions as the Covid-19 infection rate continues to rise across the continent. Today, major markets France and Germany became the latest territories ordered to close the doors of their cinemas in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. France and Germany join Slovakia, Wales (expected to reopen November 9), Italy (November 24), and Ireland (December 2) in a growing list of countries where screens have gone dark for the second time this year. The Czech Republic recently finished its second stage of cinema closures on October 26.  France has experienced a dramatic uptick in its number of Covid-19 cases, prompting curfews in major cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, and Toulouse earlier this month. France is the largest market in terms of screen count (6,114) and second-largest in cinema admissions (213 million tickets sold in 2019) among members of UNIC, Europe’s cinema trade associa

Christie Introduces far-UVC Light Fixture with Patented Care222 Technology for UV Disinfection

PRESS RELEASE Christie is pleased to announce the launch of the Christie CounterAct™ line of commercial UV disinfection products with patented Care222® far-UVC light technology for cinemas, theme parks, museums, sports complexes, and other indoor spaces. The Christie fixture uses Ushio’s patented narrowband filtered Care222 excimer lamps that emit far-UVC 222nm light—the only UV technology shown to continuously and significantly reduce pathogens, like coronaviruses, that may also be used while people are present, when used in accordance with specified parameters. Mass production of the new Christie CounterAct fixture starts in January 2021. Developed by Christie’s parent company, Ushio Inc., and based on technology licensed from Columbia University, the Care222 far-UVC, mercury-free excimer lamp—highlighted in FORTUNE magazine’s annual Change the World list in 2020, includes a proprietary short pass filter that prevents the emission of longer wavelengths of UV light (230nm and higher)

Laser-Powered Muvi Cinemas Crosses 100-Screen Milestone

PRESS RELEASE Cinionic partner Muvi celebrates the inauguration of its 103 rd screen in Saudi Arabia this month with the opening of its new theater in the Mall of Dhahran. The site is the tenth for Muvi in 14 months since debuting their first location, having entered the market in 2019 as the country’s first homegrown theater chain. Equipped with 4K laser projection by Cinionic in every theater, Muvi has quickly grown to be one of the largest circuits in the region. Muvi chose 4K projectors, including Barco Series 4, for the new theater. The Muvi multiplex at the Mall of Dhahran is home to 18 screens with 2,368 seats, making it one of the biggest theaters in the country. The luxury location features upscale interior design and multiple premium auditoriums.   “Muvi Cinemas in its latest offering aims to fully immerse movie patrons in the magic of cinema through best-in-class theatrical technologies and seamless digital experience” said Adon Quinn, COO, Muvi Cinemas. “Cinionic was defin

AMC, Cinemark Begin Bay Area Reopening

Another key market in the United States is reopening this weekend, with AMC and Cinemark announcing they will begin reopening select Bay Area locations in Northern California on Friday, October 30. AMC, the country’s leading circuit, will add high profile locations including AMC Metreon 15, AMC Kabuki 8, AMC Eastridge 15, AMC Mercado 20, AMC Saratoga 14, AMC NewPark 12, and AMC Bay Street 16 to its roster of open cinemas. It will also be introducing a new location, AMC DINE-IN Sunnyvale 12, located about a 45-minute drive from San Francisco. “The reopening of movie theatres around the country is essential to the theatrical industry and the entire entertainment ecosystem, and we thank local leaders in the Bay Area communities for allowing our guests to return to AMC,” commented AMC CEO Adam Aron. “We continue to see an overwhelming majority of state and local governments recognize the strong steps we have taken through AMC Safe & Clean to ensure that we are reopening responsibly and

Comscore Research Finds Audiences Getting More Comfortable with Movie Theater Experience

PRESS RELEASE A new survey of U.S. moviegoers from Comscore found that audiences are feeling more confident heading to the theater thanks to the expansive safety procedures implemented by exhibitors. The survey results, captured in conjunction with Screen Engine/ASI, demonstrate another positive indicator for the global theatrical industry’s road to recovery. The survey revealed key insights into the moviegoer experience: 92% had a positive experience at the movies, with 60% saying “it was great, glad to be back at the movies.” With a majority deeming moviegoing a safe activity, going to the movies is considered an ideal activity during this time. 51% were driven back to the movies by their desire to socialize, particularly with their friends and family, and get back to normal routines. Aside from going to the movies being considered a safe activity, recently released blockbuster films were considered very compelling. “A new film I had to see” was one of the most important factors in p

After Breaking Japan Opening Record, Demon Slayer the Movie: Infinite Train Eases Only -16% to $37M

Japan’s animated Demon Slayer the Movie: Infinite Train set a new opening weekend record for the country on the October 16 frame, with $43.8 million. But would the phenomenon fall fast, or prove longlasting? Turns out the latter. On the most recent October 23 frame, the film declined a mild -16 percent to an estimated $37 million. The film’s total box office now stands at 10.75 billion Yen, equivalent to about $102.5 million USD. Through only two frames, that already makes it the highest-grossing film of 2020 in Japan, more than doubling the $47.8 million total of fellow Japanese title From Today, It’s My Turn: The Movie. For context, only three films released in 2019 earned more in Japan: local title Weathering with You with $131.5 million, as well as  Frozen II with $122.6 million and  Aladdin with $112.4 million. Tentatively,  Demon appears on a path to beat all three of those titles. And only one film from both 2018 and 2017 beat Demon ‘s current total:  Bohemian Rhapsody wi

Studio Movie Grill, 11th Largest Chain in North America, Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Studio Movie Grill has become the second major U.S. exhibitor— following CMX Cinemas —to file for Chapter 11 restructuring as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects upon the theater industry. Based out of Dallas, Texas and spread across ten states, Studio Movie Grill is the largest dine-in chain North America and the 11th largest chain overall , as of February 2020. On March 17, the chain closed all but seven of its 34 locations. The reopening process began on June 19 with three theaters in Texas ; since that time, the chain has continued to reopen theaters and offer promotions as a method to entice moviegoers to return. As of October 18, 21 of its theaters had returned to operation. In a statement on Studio Movie Grill’s Chapter 11 filing, founder and chairman Brian Schultz cited the “unparalleled impact of COVID-19” upon the circuit. Studio Movie Grill will close an unspecified number of theaters and work with those landlords to restructure those leases “as it determines

Weekend Box Office: Honest Thief Fends Off The Empty Man to Remain Atop Domestic Charts

It’s another slow weekend at the domestic box office as the natural and business effects of the pandemic continue to impact moviegoing. On the bright side, though, strong holds remain the theme of this time as most titles across the board posted soft declines. With the re-opening of some New York state theaters, the domestic footprint of cinemas that have returned to operations is approximately 86 percent. Major markets like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco remain mostly offline. Leading the way again is Honest Thief with another $2.35 million estimated frame, down just 35 percent from its opening one week ago. Open Road’s thriller starring Liam Neeson has registered an estimated $7.5 million through its first 10 days of domestic play, providing the latest anchor for exhibitors. Open Road also released After We Collided in 460 locations this weekend alongside its digital debut. The film pulled an estimated $420K from theatrical box office in its first weekend of play. Po

Long Range Box Office Forecast: What the Latest Delay of Ghostbusters: Afterlife Means for Theatrical Recovery

Earlier this week, Sony dropped the news that Ghostbusters: Afterlife would be shifted an additional three months from March 5 to June 11, 2021. While this doesn’t seem as drastic as other recent delays (the recent six-month push of No Time to Die reverberated across the industry a bit more pointedly), it does provide further indication of what studios are thinking in terms of the long-term box office recovery period. Afterlife is a much-anticipated direct sequel to the classic Ghostbusters films of the 1980s, and had originally been slated to open in June of this year. Sony was quick to move the film out of that spot completely early on during the pandemic back in March, though. With the obvious exception of Wonder Woman 1984 , currently still slated to hit theaters on Christmas Day this year, the Ghostbusters revival was poised to be the first 2021 tentpole release for cinemas in North America and most of the global market. It’s delay has two significant effects, though. The f

Weekend Box Office Forecast: Will Honest Thief Fend Off The Empty Man, Re-Issues of The Addams Family and Monsters, Inc.?

After another encouraging result from a wide release last weekend with Open Road’s Honest Thief debuting on the high end of forecasts and taking the top spot at the box office, the penultimate frame of October is on deck with potential for that film to repeat at number one. Disney and 20th Century Studios will hope to have something to say about that, though, as they release The Empty Man in an estimated 2,027 locations. Previews for the horror-thriller begin at 6pm Thursday evening. Starring James Badge Dale, the timely opening just one week away from Halloween could be beneficial in its efforts to attract genre fans. Unfortunately, though, marketing has been scant and social media activity is markedly slow. The film’s first trailer didn’t even debut until the end of last week. Empty Man had previously been scheduled for the “dump” weekend of December 4 (after a delay from August 7 due to the pandemic), where low-tier horror films have often debuted to lukewarm numbers in an out-of

Demon Slayer the Movie: Infinite Train Sets New Japan Opening Weekend Record w/ $43.8M

It took 17 years, but the Japanese box office opening record was crushed this past weekend — during a pandemic, no less. Demon Slayer the Movie: Infinite Train started with 4.62 billion yen, equivalent to approximately $43.8 million USD. That was the biggest film debut globally this past weekend, despite only premiering in a single market. Demon more than doubled Japan’s previous largest opening weekend of all time, 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded with $20.8 million. Among its fellow animated titles,  Demon also crushed Japan’s previous largest animated opening weekend ever, 2019’s Frozen II with $17.8 million. Demon earned more than seven times the previous best post-pandemic opening in Japan, the $5.8 million debut of July’s local title From Today, It’s My Turn: The Movie . For context, in all of 2019, not only did nothing come even remotely close to Demon ‘s $43.8 million opening in Japan, only five films debuted with weekends even above $10 million. Four were American films, led b

Santikos Entertainment to Conduct Weekly Covid-19 Tests Of All Employees

San Antonio-based Santikos Entertainment, in partnership with the nonprofit group Community Labs, will be conducting weekly tests of all theater employees. “Since the first presence of Covid in our community, our number one priority has been to ensure the safety and care of our employees,” says Santikos CEO Tim Handren in a statement. “As the only theater in the world administering weekly PCR tests, we are ensuring our employees the safest work environment and our guests the best experience.”   Adds J. Bruce Bugg Jr., Vice Chairman and Co-Founder of Community Labs and chairman and trustee of the Tobin Endowment: “It’s wonderful to have Santikos join this effort to provide assurance testing for its employees. The whole idea is to provide testing that quickly identifies people with Covid-19 but are asymptomatic, so that those individuals can quarantine themselves while giving everyone else the confidence and sense of safety to come to work and do their jobs. Our goal is to use this rapid

Sony Schedule Continues to Shift with New Date for Ghostbusters: Afterlife; Happiest Season Goes Straight to Streaming

Changes to the release date calendar keep coming, prompting concern from exhibitors who depend on a steady stream of content to remain in operation. Latest changes come courtesy of Sony, which yesterday announced that the holiday rom-com Happiest Season —about a woman (Kristen Stewart) whose plans to propose to her girlfriend (Mackenzie Davis) are complicated by the discovery that said girlfriend has not come out to her parents—will bypass a theatrical release. The film, which was slated to debut in theaters on November 25, will instead make its bow on Hulu on that same date.  Sony Pictures Entertainment and Entertainment One, which co-financed the film, retain distribution rights in Canada and international markets; per an official press release from Sony, “Overseas plans, including potential theatrical releases, will be finalized in the coming weeks.” If Happiest Season were to screen theatrically in Canada but not in the United States, it would not be an unprecedented move; Paramou

Regal Cinemas to Re-Open 11 Locations In New York State

Following last weekend’s news that theaters in New York— with the exception of the key market of New York City —will be allowed to open starting October 23, Regal has announced that they will re-open 11 locations in the state. The New York cinemas to reopen this Friday are: Regal Colonie Center (Albany, NY) Regal Crossgates (Albany, NY) Regal Walden Galleria (Buffalo, NY) Regal Quaker Crossing (Orchard Park, NY) Regal Deer Park (Deer Park, NY) Regal Lynbrook (Lynbrook, NY) Regal New Roc (New Rochelle, NY) Regal Galleria Mall (Poughkeepsie, NY) Regal Destiny USA (Syracuse, NY) Regal Eastview Mall (Victor, NY) Regal Westbury (Westbury, NY) “We are grateful to finally have initial guidelines from the state,” said Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Regal parent company Cineworld, in a statement. “With the implementation of robust health and safety measures as a part of our commitment to the CinemaSafe protocols, our New York theaters and staff are thoroughly prepared for a safe and sustainable reop

NATO Hails the Inclusion of Movie Theaters in “Save Our Stages” Relief Legislation

Following the National Association of Theatre Owners’ renewed call that Congress pass relief for cinemas of all sizes across the United States, the organization has issued a following statement regarding Senators Schumer, Cardin, and Shaheen’s activities in support of theaters by including them in the “Save Our Stages” initiative. Through their # SaveYourCinema campaign, NATO urges moviegoers to contact their Congressmen and urge them to come to the defense of theaters, which are “the beating hearts of the communities they serve,” says NATO Director of Government Relations Esther Baruh. “They drive local economies and boost neighborhood businesses. But without more help from Congress, we fear for the future of the industry.” Writes NATO in their 10/20 statement: The movie theater operators of America are desperate for help from Congress. Without such help, 70 percent of the theaters in the country could file for bankruptcy or close permanently by the end of the year. More than 70,000

Cinema Technology Community Announces Free, Online Educational Event for November 26

PRESS RELEASE The independent trade organization Cinema Technology Community (CTC), has announced its forthcoming one-day online event entitled, “ One Community Day ”. The event will be held online on 26 th November and will be completely free to attend. Part of the CTC’s Covid Response Programme, One Community Day will provide more than four hours of original programming focused on cinema and technology.  “Throughout 2020, CTC has aimed to provide support to the industry at this incredibly difficult time.  From our Community Membership Scheme through to the range of deliverables we’ve made available, such as guidance for Covid shutdowns and restarts, a guide to drive-in screenings, white papers, magazines, podcasts and the Tech Talks seminar series, the CTC team has strived to provide vital materials to help drive the industry forward.  One Community Day is about bringing the industry together, to celebrate our togetherness even though we’re forced apart and to have a day dedicated t