Canadian movie theatre owners say theyB次元官网网址檙e nervously watching for developments in dual Hollywood strikes and plan to show more classics, cult favourites and live events if the labour disruptions stretch on.
The owners are expecting striking stars represented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and talent backed by the Writers Guild of America, to be on the picket lines for months as they seek better wages and protections from artificial intelligence.
The strikes, which immediately stopped the production and promotion of films and television shows, stand to slow down the flow of content as studios and distributors run out of movies completed before the strike to release.
B次元官网网址淚 am absolutely petrified about it,B次元官网网址� said Jeff Knoll, chief executive of Film.ca Cinemas, an Oakville, Ont. theatre.
B次元官网网址淲e barely survived the pandemicB次元官网网址nd we are quite nervous about what the future is going to hold with all thatB次元官网网址檚 going on in Hollywood right now.B次元官网网址�
This week alone, KnollB次元官网网址檚 theatre has scheduled screenings of B次元官网网址淢ission: Impossible B次元官网网址� Dead Reckoning Part OneB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淚ndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,B次元官网网址� along with the hotly-anticipated B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淥ppenheimer.B次元官网网址�
Knoll, however, fears that flow of Hollywood fare moviegoers have waited months, if not years, to see could ease up soon.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no question that if the strike drags out, (studios) are going to have to either start spreading out their content or simply postponing it until a point in the future when they anticipate the strike will be over,B次元官网网址� he said.
Even if they donB次元官网网址檛 switch up their release schedules, Knoll thinks theatres will be hit hard by a lack of promotion around films.
The strikes are preventing stars from walking red carpets, participating in press junkets and interviews and taping new marketing materials.
The cast of B次元官网网址淥ppenheimer,B次元官网网址� for example, walked out of their premiere in solidarity with striking workers last week, while Disney sent Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Maleficent and Cruella de Vil down the B次元官网网址淗aunted MansionB次元官网网址� red carpet in lieu of stars Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito and Rosario Dawson over the weekend.
Knoll also suspects B次元官网网址淢ission: Impossible B次元官网网址� Dead Reckoning Part OneB次元官网网址� had a rough ride at the box office because of the strikes.
B次元官网网址淚t didnB次元官网网址檛 perform the way it was supposed to perform over the weekend and it could very well be because there wasnB次元官网网址檛 as much publicity with the stars, particularly Tom Cruise, leading up to opening day.B次元官网网址�
If films do slow down, Knoll said he will toy with bringing in more Canadian fare and movies from parts of the globe not as impacted by the strike. Bollywood films and screenings of hits like B次元官网网址淗arry PotterB次元官网网址� could also factor into Film.caB次元官网网址檚 schedule.
Corinne Lea, the chief executive of the Rio Theatre in Vancouver, also plans to get crafty with programming, but said itB次元官网网址檚 nothing new for indie theatres.
Before the strikes, the Rio had to wait between three and six months to screen some films Cineplex, the countryB次元官网网址檚 biggest cinema chain, had for months.
As a result, the Rio often screened new films months after they were released and relied on a rotation of previously released fare, burlesque and drag shows and Canadian hits.
Its July calendar shows B次元官网网址淪tar WarsB次元官网网址� screenings, a B次元官网网址淕reaseB次元官网网址� singalong and Jean-Luc GodardB次元官网网址檚 1965 New Wave drama B次元官网网址淧ierrot le Fou.B次元官网网址� Hundreds of people show up to its classic screenings of hits like B次元官网网址渢he Rocky Horror Picture Show,B次元官网网址� Lea added.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e used to not being able to get current content,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淭his strike is going to hurt Cineplex actually more than itB次元官网网址檒l hurt us because all the theatres that actually rely on current content are the ones that are going to have a problem. But because weB次元官网网址檝e been denied access to it for so long, weB次元官网网址檝e become these like creative shape shifters.B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址�
In May, when the 11,5000 film and television writers represented by the Writers Guild of America walked off the job, Cineplex chief executive Ellis Jacob didnB次元官网网址檛 expect the strike to have a material impact on its business.
Network TV and streamers, whose content is completed shortly before it is released, tend to feel the brunt of such strikes, not theatres, he reasoned.
B次元官网网址淚 always say to people yes, it will impact us, but itB次元官网网址檒l take a long time to impact us,B次元官网网址� Jacob later told The Canadian Press in an interview.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e talking three years from now because a lot of the movies are already in process of being produced.B次元官网网址�
In an email, a Cineplex spokesperson said, B次元官网网址淟ike everyone in the industry, we hope that SAG-AFTRA and the WGA can come to a quick resolution with the AMPTP.B次元官网网址�
As for Knoll and Lea, they are anxiously awaiting any new developments in the strike.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely one that weB次元官网网址檙e all keeping an eye on,B次元官网网址� Lea said.
B次元官网网址淚 think everyone is nervous.B次元官网网址�
READ ALSO:
