More movie theaters will be showing “The Fablemans,” “Tar” and “Women Talking” this weekend, capitalizing on the films’ Oscar nominations at a time when dramas are struggling to draw people to theaters.
After watching movies during the pandemic, audiences have returned in droves for action-packed blockbusters like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’.
The “Avatar” sequel has grossed over $2 billion, making it the sixth highest-grossing film of all time. Many Hollywood dramas targeted at adult audiences haven’t fared nearly as well.
Industry executives told Reuters that some old moviegoers have not returned to local megaplexes. Others have decided to wait to stream movies that don’t have the visual spectacle that clutters up a big screen. Studios are now making movies available for viewing at home only 17 days after they debut in theatres.
But filmmakers hope the hype surrounding the Oscars in March will draw some moviegoers to their neighborhood cinemas. According to comScore data, box office receipts can increase as much as 75 percent in the weeks following a Best Picture nomination.
The Best Picture nominee “Women Talking,” about a religious colony grappling with a series of rapes, will expand from 153 theaters to more than 700 this weekend, according to a person familiar with the film’s rollout. Its ticket sales so far total just under $1.3 million.
The distributor, United Artists Releasing, planned a release strategy to coincide with this week’s Oscar nominations, with the hope that the film would benefit from a box-office boom. The move was a gamble, the person said, since nominations are never guaranteed.
“Tar,” a best picture contender starring Cate Blanchett as a manipulative orchestra conductor, will expand from 100 to 535 theaters. The film has grossed approximately $7.2 million in worldwide cinemas to date.
‘Not feeling great’
Even legendary director Steven Spielberg had trouble drawing crowds for nominee “The Feibelmans,” his autobiographical story about family struggles and the anti-Semitism he faced as a teenager.
Since its release in November, the film has grossed $21.8 million worldwide. According to a source familiar with the plans, “The Fablemans” will play in 1,800 theaters this weekend, nearly double the number from the week before.
Spielberg told Reuters earlier this month that he was concerned about the declining turnout of adult dramas.
“But there have been some bright spots this year, some very, very bright spots where movies for older people are actually getting older people to see those movies in motion picture theaters,” he said. “So I’m optimistic about it.”
Sony Corp’s 6758.T “A Man Called Otto” is a drama that broke trends, starring Tom Hanks as a grumpy old man mourning the loss of his wife. The film has made more than $57 million in theaters since its late December opening.
Best picture nominee “Elvis” hit last summer aimed to entertain audiences of all ages, featuring classic recordings of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll alongside music from contemporary artists like Doja Cat and Diplo.
Director Baz Luhrmann said in an interview, “We had this idea very obsessively that we had to bring people young and old back to the theater.”
‘Elvis’ has grossed $287.3 million in theaters. After eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor, Warner Bros. is re-releasing the film to movie houses this weekend.
Comcast Corp’s CMCSA.O Universal Pictures made “Tar” and “The Fablemans” available to rent at home through premium video-on-demand, even as they continue to run in theaters.
The company has not disclosed revenue from those sales, although its executives have credited this strategy with lifting some of the films to profitability.
“Women Talking” director Sarah Polley said as a filmmaker she enjoys seeing “smaller, more intimate human dramas” in theaters.
“I really love the feeling of being an audience and feeling someone’s breath or emotion, or the beginning of a laugh or a cry,” she said in an interview this month.
“Not being able to keep pace with others in a room is something that would make me sad if that started disappearing,” she said. “It’s not looking great at the moment.”
