With two years of hard-won data from the pandemic, exhibitors are now enjoying the various studios coming back around to the value of cinemagoing.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance Live, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond opened up about how important the theatrical window is and how even some streaming services are coming to realise this:
“The debate is over. The argument that you can skip a theatrical window and make up for it on streaming just isn’t true. The theatrical window is more essential than ever to get the streaming revenue.”
He cites the success of “Top Gun: Maverick” as being the perfect example of how a hugely successful theatrical run only adds value to the film when it eventually came to streaming:
“That $1.5 billion not only didn’t distract from the streaming revenue – it added to it. Almost every streamer has now said they recognize the need for [a] theatrical release.”
The comments come as Disney revealed this week its earnings for the past quarter had fallen short, even with a whopping 12.1 million gain in Disney+ subscribers which smashed analyst forecasts.
