There is no way of knowing what the final effect that Netflix and streaming platforms will have on the film industry. We’ve already seen how streaming has affected how studios release films and how they rely more and more on TV series. But we have yet to see just how much disruption this new paradigm will cause on the theatrical distribution model. And according to Disney, we shouldn’t expect the Mouse House to get its hands dirty in the fight between streamers and theaters.
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Speaking at the recent investors call (via IndieWire), Disney CEO Bob Iger said that he’s perfectly happy with the theatrical status quo, as it exists today. And he doesn’t foresee a world where Disney ever pushes for theater chains to change how they do business.
“The theatrical window is working for this company, and we have no plans to adjust it for our business,” Iger said.
When you look at the box office results for Disney-distributed films in 2019, it’s hard to come up with any reason why the studio would want to change the status quo. Last year alone, the studio released a whopping 7 movies that cracked $1 billion, including a record-breaking total from “Avengers: Endgame.” Nevertheless, even with box office wins from Disney, theatrical chains are suffering financial losses, as everyone is concerned about the future of the industry.
But Iger isn’t one of those that are concerned.
He added, “We had the biggest box office, but we’re not the only movie company. I suspect [theatrical company’s stock performance is] not due to us, or either a lack of conviction on our part, or any suspicion that we might not be telling the truth.”
It’s not mentioned in his comments, but the question about “theatrical window” adjustment is mainly led by companies like Netflix and its streaming brethren. Those companies would love to reap the gains of a box office run, but don’t want to respect the long-standing deal between studios and theater chains that force studios to wait 90 days before releasing a film on streaming or physical media. This has led to Netflix running into issues with Cannes and other festivals, in addition to the major chains that refuse to show the company’s films.
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So, if Netflix is looking for Hollywood studio support for shortening the window, it’s clear from Iger’s comments that Disney isn’t going to join the movement. But hey, there’s no doubt that Disney would love the opportunity to release its films on Disney+ sooner if that’s possible.