Movie theatres could get the green signal to kickstart again from October onwards. But a tepid response to two tent-pole Hollywood biggies, Tenet and Mulan, may be the ominous sign that Indian exhibition sector could have done without.

The much-talked-about Christopher Nolan’s Tenet made just $29.5 million in North America in two weeks, which includes two feeble weekends ($9.5 million and $6.7 million respectively). Also, Mulan put up an eight-day total of $31.17 million in China, after plunging 82% on its second Friday.

Does it signal not-so-great business for India’s theatrical sector too? “It’s surely not a good sign, and is extremely unfortunate. But things are really difficult for everyone. Right now, safety and security are people’s priorities, and not entertainment,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

But the exhibitors and distributors feel Tenet and Mulan “may not be the best indicator of things.” Exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi says: “There could be more than what meets the eye. Right before Mulan, The Eight Hundred made a whopping $350 million in China. Also, theatres are still shut in biggest USA cities such as New York, Los Angeles and California. The same film did well in Europe where most of the places/theatres are running. Plus, going by reviews and people’s reactions, many have found Tenet to be a bit complicated film.”

Talking of Indian market, films such as Indoo Ki Jawani, Sooryavanshi (on Diwali) and '83 (on Christmas) are slated to release in theatres. “After sitting at home for over six months, I’m sure people don’t have enough money to spend on movies and plus they must be saving up. But regardless of everything, theatres must open as many livelihoods are dependent on it,” says filmmaker Anees Bazmee.

While Adarsh hopes that there will “soon be a vaccine”, Rathi is enthused with the way hospitality sector is performing. “With correct hygiene system, I am sure people can be brought back to cinemas,” he says.

Thanks to the latest reshuffle in Hollywood’s release plans, Wonder Woman 1984 has been moved from October 2 to Christmas and Candyman has moved to 2021. The King’s Man moves from September 18 to February next year. As of now, only Black Widow and James Bond’s next adventure, No Time to Die are among biggies still lined up to release in 2020, in November.

TENET AND MULAN END UP WITH POOR COLLECTIONS

Last week, we discussed that the collections of the much awaited Hollywood flick, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, have been below expectations. But the hope was that collections would increase in the days to come. Sadly, that hasn’t happened. In the USA, it has managed to collect just $30 million. It’s a very low figure for a film of this scale and hype. The reason for this dismal number is many. Theatres are still shut in major centres like New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle etc. The daily number of cases in the USA is still high and a section of moviegoing audiences have preferred to stay away from cinemas. And most importantly, the word of mouth is mixed. Many feel that it isn’t Nolan’s best work while a few others have remarked that dialogues in the film are not audible.

The worldwide collections of Tenet now stand at $207.5 million. The final number may go upto $250 million depending on what happens in the next few weeks. Considering the tense situation, it is still a good number. But the film needs to do around $350-400 million to break even. And Tenet sadly won’t be able to reach this mark.

The other major release of the season is Disney’s Mulan. It had a direct digital release through the pay-per-view model in the USA on September 4. In China, it was released on September 11. Much was expected as the film is set in China and the market there has been booming. Shockingly, its first week collections in the neighbouring country were around $23 million. Several factors were responsible. The film’s release date in China was unveiled quite late and hence, Disney didn’t get the time to build a strong marketing campaign. The response was mostly negative among audiences there. Moreover, with the film being available on Disney+ platform a week before, pirated versions of the film surfaced online. All these reasons dented the theatrical collections in China. In other countries like Thailand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, UAE etc, the collections are decent. But again, it’s budget is skyhigh and it won’t be able to recover the costs.

As for sales from digital subscription, it is estimated that it was viewed by 1.2 million households which would result in $33.5 million in sales. This is also not good news as Variety had estimated that Mulan would need to be rented by about 8.4 million subscribers (13.8%) in order to break-even.

The performance of both these films has saddened moviegoers and also studios. Wonder Woman 1984, also made by Warner Bros that produced Tenet, has been postponed from October 2 to December 25. Producers of most biggies would now prefer to wait for the Coronavirus cases to reduce, especially in countries like the USA, UK etc. Only then will cinemas open and audiences would flock. However, an important point shouldn’t be missed and that is – both the films didn’t enjoy a good word of mouth. If response was positive, it would have had double the collections or even more, considering how China can outperform. Local films in Spain, South Korea, China etc have worked big time and this shows movies can work even in pandemic if things fall in place.

MULAN has fared poorly in China with collections of $8 million on day one. The first MULAN had bombed badly in China when it was released in 1999 with collections of just $52k. This time it was supposed to be a different story with Disney banking on a big response in China for the $200 million budget film. The pre sales suggested a lukewarm turnout and that is what happened.

The film had fared pretty well in other countries of the Far East like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand but the important market of China does not look like doing the business. The film was released on PVOD in North America last week and its said to be a moderate response.

TENET last week had collected $8.35 million on the first day and now has a total of around $43 million after eight days. INCEPTION in 2010 had collected $68 million and that does look out of reach for TENET. Both TENET and MULAN cost around $200 million and recovery will be tough for both mainly due to Coronavirus. But TENET took the theatrical route worldwide and MULAN took a mix of theatrical and PVOD and even despite Coronavirus route, the TENET route of theatrical has yielded better results.

As the pandemic’s stranglehold continues, many Hollywood films have shifted to 2021; Bollywood to wait and watch
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 9, 2020)

Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, the ‘filmy drama’ seems to have swiftly shifted off screen, vis-à-vis constantly changing release dates and makers’ digital plans. Early this week, it was announced that the epic adventure, Mulan – after getting several theatrical release dates – would go the OTT way, from September 4. Janelle Monáe-starrer horror film, Antebellum, too is taking the digital route. Interestingly, besides jumping on the web space, a number of Hollywood biggies won’t have a date with cinemas this year as they shift bag and baggage to 2021.

For starters, Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun: Maverick has been pushed to next July, while A Quiet Place Part II, starring Emily Blunt, will be out in April. Antlers has moved to February, while Ben Affleck-Matt Damon starrer The Last Duel has moved to October. Johnny Knoxville-starrer Jackass 4 has taken the September 2021 date, even as Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch has been pulled off the release calendar. Action thriller Fast And Furious 9 had already rescheduled to April 2021, besides Jared Leto’s Morbius, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife that had also moved to next year. The Scarlett Johansson-starrer Black Widow, though, still sticks to its November release date.

“It’s true that a number of tent-pole Hollywood films have moved to 2021 but having said that, a biggie like Tenet is slated to release later this month. I feel if Tenet – as expected – goes on to perform well everywhere, we may see some more activities in the coming months and other films could follow suit between October-December,” says Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment.

In India, most of the ready films have already moved to OTT platforms, with only Sooryavanshi and ’83 lined up for a release on Diwali and Christmas, respectively.

“We wouldn’t like to move the release dates again. But the teams (of both films) will review the situation, maybe around next month,” says Sarkar, whose studio is backing both Sooryavanshi and ’83. Other films such as Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Coolie No. 1, Bunty Aur Babli 2 and Mumbai Saga may hit the theatres this year.

“I believe that in another month or so, people’s fears/paranoia about Covid-19 will dissipate and they may like to visit theatres. The cinema-going people’s response in countries such as South Korea, Japan and China gives us confidence that audiences will come back to theatres,” says exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi.

At the end, trade analyst Taran Adarsh puts things in perspective. “No one has any clarity about the situation, so you can’t really blame the makers if they are moving to next year. And no clarity vis-à-vis when theatres will reopen is also making things worse. Plus, you don’t know whether people will turn up. So, there are too many question marks,” he says.
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Biggies feel the Covid impact

Not just release dates, the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt a major blow to several Hollywood biggies’ production plans as well. To start with, the Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel has been pushed to December 17, 2021. Also, the upcoming Star Wars and Avatar movies have been delayed by a year. So, the first Avatar sequel will only be out in December, 2022. Also, the shoot of much-talked-about Friends reunion episode, which was originally slated to be shot in March, has been delayed. “It’s a wait-and-watch situation everywhere. It’s all about people’s survival now. I don’t think many people across the world have entertainment on their priority list,” says Adarsh.

OTT-THEATRICAL MODEL UNDERGOES A MASSIVE CHANGE IN THE WEST; WILL INDIA FOLLOW SUIT?

Ever since the OTT platforms have come in India, the multiplex chains have devised a rule. If a filmmaker wants to screen his/her film in cinemas, he/she has to sign a contract with the multiplex chains stating that the said film won’t be given to a streaming platform until 8 weeks of its release. Most filmmakers accepted this rule. However, the sooner you give your film on OTT, the more you get paid. Hence, some filmmakers tried their luck and asked the multiplexes to let go of this rule for their films. The multiplexes, however, didn’t relent. In a few cases, it led to tensions. The Rajkummar Rao-Kriti Kharbanda starrer Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana didn’t get a release in multiplexes for the first few hours on the day it came out. It’s only when the producer realized that he’ll lose out on revenue from multiplexes that he signed the eight-window contract. Only then did Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana release, post 1:30-2 PM. The same happened a few weeks later with Vikram Bhatt’s horror film 1921. This film too arrived in multiplexes only post noon.

One of the first releases of this year was the long-delayed Shimla Mirchi, directed by Ramesh Sippy. He had got a lucrative deal from Netflix for which he had to release the film on their platform within 4 or 5 weeks. Multiplexes, naturally, didn’t agree and hence this flick had a release only in single screens! It was clear that the multiplex chains are quite adamant when it comes the 8-week-window rule.

In the West, it’s even more extreme. There, the films are supposed to be released on non-theatrical avenues only after 90 days of release. Netflix, meanwhile, made it clear that it’ll allow only four weeks in cinemas for it’s films like The Irishman, Marriage Story etc. The major chains there like AMC, Regal etc didn’t accept. Hence, these critically acclaimed flicks released in single-screens and smaller centres of North America and in other countries.

Earlier this year, Universal Pictures took a revolutionary step – it released it’s animated flick Trolls World Tour in cinemas on April 10. But footfalls got affected due to Coronavirus-induced lockdown. As a result, the same day, it was also released online but under the PVOD (Premium Video-On-Demand) model. Viewers had to pay $20 to catch the film. This step worked big time and reportedly, it set several streaming records. A surprised and motivated Universal then announced that they’ll do more of simultaneous theatrical and streaming releases from now on. An announcement of such nature angered the theatre chains. Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC that their chain would no longer release a film that also drops online at the same time. Another chain, Regal cinemas, too put a statement to this effect.

However, around 10 days back, a sudden development left the global movie industry shocked as well as amused. AMC signed a deal with Universal wherein the theatrical window was shortened from 90 days to just 17 days! Also, once the film is released online, AMC would still get a cut out of these PVOD platforms. This makes it a win-win situation for all. It was also made clear that the bigger event films which would benefit from longer theatrical runs like Fast & Furious or Jurassic World sequels would not immediately go for a PVOD release.

Still, the development is a bit too unexpected. And if this is not enough, Disney’s much awaited flick Mulan too will release on it's Disney+ platform under the PVOD model. Viewers will have to pay a high $29.99 to view the movie, once it releases on September 4. This is mostly done as Coronavirus cases in USA are still high and theatres won’t be opening till the Mulan makes it to cinemas. Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek however insisted that this is a one-off decision taken by them and that it won’t be the norm for their future titles. Also, he assured that Mulan can be experienced on the big screen where countries where cinemas are open.

Mulan was going to be one of the two films besides Christopher Nolan’s Tenet which were to release in cinemas as soon as normalcy kicks in. With this decision to go digital, it means one film less and a further encouragement to those who feel ‘theatres are dead’!

Will these developments have any effect in India? Will producers here also demand a 17-day window instead of a 8-week window for digital release? Will they experiment with PVOD model with desi audiences? Only time will tell although trade experts believe that cinema halls are still safe in India. The footfalls in places like USA have been going down and hence, such steps were necessary. India, meanwhile is still a film-crazy country and hopefully, the pre-Covid model will be continued to be followed by producers and exhibitors alike.

SOUTH KOREAN FILM ALIVE EMERGES AS A HIT; GIVES HOPE TO REST OF THE WORLD!

There has been no new release across the world since 3-4 months thanks to the Coronavirus induced lockdown. The Hollywood has been itching to get back to it’s feet and as reported last week, 4 films planned to release in the month of July – Unhinged on July 10, The Broken Hearts Gallery on July 17, Mulan on July 24 and Tenet on July 31. Unfortunately, due to the rising cases in USA, all these films were shifted ahead. As per the new schedule, Unhinged now arrives on July 31 followed by The Broken Hearts Gallery on August 7, Tenet on August 12 and Mulan on August 21.

However, there’s one place where the cases have dropped considerably and where many activities have resumed, including going to cinemas. This country is South Korea and it was a surprise to know that last week, on June 24, a film called Alive released in cinemas. It was very well received and surprisingly, managed to get 5 million footfalls in just five days! It has done a business of $5,475,383 (Rs. 4.13 crore approx) till now.

Many experts had predicted that moviegoers would not go to see a film till the time a vaccine is not found. Hence, it’s interesting and even heartening to see that despite the Coronavirus scare still looming large in the world, people have thronged to cinemas in Korea. Theatres in fact never got shut in South Korea ever! What also helps is that the country got very less Coronavirus cases. As of Wednesday July 1, it had just 12,850 cases and mere 282 deaths. On an average, it gets only 40-50 cases a day. The other major markets of the world like USA, UK, India etc still suffer from a large number of new cases daily. China is another major market but it hasn’t given go-ahead for theatres to resume operations.

On the other hand, there have been several other countries that have opened up cinemas like Japan (was also kept open like South Korea, but theatres had shut down for 2-3 weeks in April), Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Germany and Poland. In most of these regions, social distancing is heavily enforced and hence, a limited number of people are allowed per screen. And all of them are playing old films. Yet, it’s heartening to know that week by week, the footfalls are seeing a gradual increase. Hong Kong saw a 71% increase, Taiwan 35%, New Zealand 17%, Australia 17%, UAE 16% increase in footfalls as compared to last weekend. The box office income in these regions is meagre but it’s a good start. And once new films release in July end, it’s sure to earn more and also by then more markets would have opened.

The cinemas in USA were expected to open in the first and second week of July but now it seems a race against time and they will have to delay the opening. The government has given the go ahead but its unlikely that many state governments will now allow due to rising cases of Coronavirus. It is very difficult to see cinemas opening up in early July in most of California, Texas or Florida though New York could see cinemas return.

The importance of USA cinemas is due to content. There are cinemas open in many places in the world and more will open in early July but the content has to come from Hollywood and that can only happen when majority of the cinemas in USA open which is the domestic market for Hollywood. TENET was scheduled to be a 17th July release but was then pushed to 31st July and now moves to 12th August as the opening of cinemas gets delayed. MULAN is now scheduled to be the first major release but a lot depends on how many cinemas will be open by that time in USA.

The markets which are open with a healthy number of screens at present are as follows.
South Korea (did not shut down)
Japan (shutdown for 2-3 weeks in April)
Vietnam
Hong Kong
Thailand
Australia
New Zealand
UAE
Netherlands
Denmark
Switzerland
Sweden
Norway
Finland
Iceland
Czech Republic
Croatia
Slovakia
Estonia
Hungary
Italy
Spain
Germany
Poland

South Korea and Japan are seeing the best turnout and here the former country did not shut down theatres while the latter had for a very limited time. As the reopening of cinemas in US is delayed it will put the date for India further also as the content for India will also come from Hollywood as cinemas try to reopen.

CINEMA SEASON IS BACK; FOUR HOLLYWOOD FILMS ALL SET TO RELEASE IN JULY!

A few weeks back, it was reported that a senior cabinet minister of the Union government of India had talks with exhibitors over reopening of cinemas. It’s been around 101 days that cinema halls have been shut and though there are indications that theatres will open in July, there’s still a bit of skepticism. On the other hand, in most parts of the world, the cinema halls are opening up gradually. In Bollywood, most producers have made it clear that they won’t release films anytime soon as they fear audiences would not come in hordes since the Coronavirus scare won’t subside anytime soon. Also, theatres will be required to keep 50% of their seats vacant. This would mean 50% loss of revenue. As a result, at the most, the smaller films might try their luck initially. But the big-ticket ones probably will take a lot of time to release.

However, Hollywood is taking the risk. Next month will see the release of 4 significant films, 2 of which are small while the other two are big-ticket films. Despite the rising cases in countries like USA and theatres requiring to restrict the number of patrons in each show, the producers of these films are taking a chance.

The first ever film that shall release is Unhinged, starring Russell Crowe and Caren Pistorius. It is a story about a single mother who is stalked and tormented by a stranger following a road rage confrontation at a red light. Unhinged releases in USA, Canada etc on July 10 while in UK, it releases on July 17.

This will be followed by the release of the romcom, The Broken Hearts Gallery, on July 17. It stars Indian-Australian actress Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery and is a story of a young woman who, after a break-up, decides to start a gallery where people can leave trinkets from past relationships. The film’s genre and poster makes it ideal for a Netflix release. Yet, that the makers are releasing it in cinemas in such a situation means a lot! The poster of the film also prominently mentions ‘Only in movie theatres’…July 17’! Interestingly, pop star Selena Gomez is its executive producer.

Mulan is a Disney film and also a live-action remake of their 1998 animated film of the same name. It was to release on March 27 but got delayed due to the pandemic. It now releases on July 24, as per an announcement made by Disney in April. There have been no new updates from them since but as of now, it is believed that it’ll make it on the said date.

And finally, Warner Bros will unveil the much awaited Tenet, directed by master director Christopher Nolan. The film was to release on July 17 and have got pushed by just by two weeks. While other big-ticket films were postponed to 2020-end or 2021, the world was amazed how Nolan and the team stuck to their guns. There’s also a strong possibility that Tenet will have a wide release in India. In fact, theatres might resume with Tenet’s release here.

NZ theatres reopen with Golmaal Again; Shibasish Sarkar expects staggered return for cinemas in India
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 25, 2020)

On Wednesday, one woke up to the news that the 2017 supernatural action comedy Golmaal Again!!! is back in the theatres. Featuring Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Tabu, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Kemmu, it’s the first Hindi film to be screened in New Zealand theatres post the Coronavirus outbreak that led to a lockdown in many countries across the globe. An elated Shibasish Sarkar, CEO, Content, Gaming & New Media, Reliance Entertainment, which distributed the film, informs that Fiji is next in line. Another Rohit Shetty entertainer, Ranveer Singh’s cop comedy Simmba, should play in cinemas there this weekend. And while they will get a share of the revenue, he is quick to point out that now is not the time to think about money, but to stand by theatres that need good content to draw people back in.

“Over the next 40 days, from the last week of June to July 31, several global markets will open up, unless a country or a particular zone shows an accelerated growth of cases. West Indies is already up and running and by the end of the month, Australia is expected to unlock, too, along with the UK. In the USA, different cinema chains will start operating between June-end and July-first week. All of them are eyeing Christopher Nolan’s spy film Tenet (its release was pushed from July 17 to July 31 and is expected to be the litmus test for a film’s financial viability and theatrical demand). The action drama Mulan also unveils a week earlier. But since there will be a drought of new releases for some time now, with shoots having come to a standstill, there will also be a demand for popular hits that were released earlier,” reasons Shibasish.

Prod him on the situation in India and he admits he is unsure, given that the two main cities, Mumbai and Delhi, which account for 60 per cent of the domestic business, are still in the clutches of the debilitating infection. “Even Chennai is struggling to contain the virus, so, I think there will be a staggered, state-by-state opening up of theatres across the country. For example, Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, might take a step forward given the state’s encouraging figures. This would be a boost for the regional Kannada industry, but it won’t help pan-India films,” he points out.

While around 10 films have locked deals for direct-to-digital releases, Shibasish has been saying all along that they will wait to bring their two big-ticket releases, Sooryavanshi and '83, to the theatres. Does he see a Diwali release for them? “We foresee the last quarter, around November-December for our films” he says enigmatically.

With more big markets expected to open by August, they will be looking at the global scene carefully. “I hope by the time the domestic markets open, the overseas markets, which account for a large percentage of business for Bollywood, will be up and running,” says Shibasish, whose concern is two-fold: That all Standard Operating Procedures are in place to make the theatrical experience safe and see if the audience feels secure enough to return in large numbers across the globe. “I am optimistic because both in India and across the world, after three months, people are bored cooped up at home. They have always enjoyed the big theatre experience and that’s never going to go away,” he signs off.

Cinema halls are gearing to reopen when restrictions ease, but they’re likely to use old hits to draw audiences
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 11, 2020)

With life crawling back to normal mid the Coronavirus crisis, and resumption of shoots, comes the big question: when will movie theatres reopen? And an even bigger question: which filmmakers will be ready to test the waters and see whether audiences trickle in?

UAE, with no new films in hand, has decided to re-release Good Newwz and Dream Girl, both 2019 films, in theatres. Back home too, experts believe the same strategy would be employed.

OLD MAY STRIKE GOLD
Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex and Maratha Mandir cinema, Mumbai says, “A theatre lockdown happened in 1996. On reopening I decided to re-run the 1961 Shammi Kapoor film Junglee. It was housefull. Then I re-released Teesri Manzil, also housefull. Just after the Covid-19 lockdown started, I had thought I’ll again use this idea.”

Earlier, speculation was rife that Sooryavanshi and '83 would be the first to release to draw audiences. But '83 director Kabir Khan told us recently, “It’s not like the lockdown will lift and we will throw our films to test waters. We will wait till comfortable.”

Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment which is involved with both these films, says, “We are expecting theatres to reopen in mid to end of July. Also, it will be in some states. It’s not as if suddenly some ready films would be released, it will take time. Hollywood films will come first — Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Mulan, then Wonder Woman 1984. I expect old films to be released again, but I don’t expect people to come to the hall for them. It would be a kind of practice for theatres to get everything ready.”

He confirms both their films won’t be among the first to release, but adds Reliance would give any of their titles such as Simmba (2018), Golmaal Again (2017), Super 30 (2019) for free to theatre owners. “We survive because theatres are there,” he adds.

THE OTT FACTOR
However, recent films such as Angrezi Medium or Baaghi 3 are already on OTT, why would people pay to watch them in theatres? Hardik Mehta, whose Roohi Afzana starring Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao is stuck, says, “It’s an important step forward. Let’s run cinema halls for 24 hours, but only at 50% capacity. Also, Nolan will release Tenet in July, even those at home will say ‘I’ll have to go to a theatre’,” he says.

There was a cautious opening of cinemas in a couple of countries last week where Hindi films are screened. There have been markets like South Korea and Norway which have have had some cinemas open through the Coronavirus lockdown but there were no Hindi films being screened in these places.

Last week saw cinemas opening in Australia and UAE and while Australia did not screen any Hindi films there was a Hindi release in UAE. BAAGHI 3 became the first Hindi film to see any collections from anywhere after almost 3 months. The film collected around $2000 from 15 screens in one week which is not much but at least a Hindi film has been shown in cinemas since mid March. Before the lock down there were other Hindi films like ANGREZI MEDIUM and THAPPAD being screened in UAE but these did not return as they were huge FLOPS.

There were two other Indian films to see a return also with CHAL MERA PUTT 2 which collected $1000 from one cinema and Tamil film KANNUM KANNUM KOLLAIYADITHAAL which collected $125 from 2 cinemas. The response in UAE was lacklustre but nothing can be judged yet due to lack of new content. The top films were Hollywood films like THE INVISIBLE MAN and THE GENTLEMEN but the real level as far as cinema in UAE is concerned will be known when there are new films.

Another country Germany where Hindi films are screened saw a few cinemas open up (not including drive ins which were open in lockdown) but again its very cautious as exhibitors also know there is not much content to screen. The wait is now for TENET and MULAN from Hollywood in July. These films are scheduled for 17th and 24th July release respectively but it is not certain yet. There are many states in USA which are allowing cinemas to open but they are not opening as there are no films to screen but New York and California have not been given the go ahead to open cinemas. These states are crucial because if cinemas in these states are not open, then its unlikely that TENET and MULAN will release on the schedule dates. The wait for these two films is across the world as only then it can be gauged where cinema stands in territories which are open for business.

The opening of cinemas in India could also start in the July/August period and it will be TENET and MULAN which will test the waters in India and local industries will be waiting to see the response.

Multiplex, single-screen owners appeal to Centre to reopen cinemas by June 30, suggest staggered seating, online tickets as part of safety measures
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 30, 2020)

Almost 10 weeks since cinemas downed their shutters due to Coronavirus lockdown, the Multiplex Association of India and single-screen owners dashed off a letter to the Centre and state governments, urging them to reopen theatres by June 30. The association has also intimated them of the safety measures that will be adopted in theatres across the country.

Abhimanyu Bansal, who runs Entertainment Paradise, a multiplex chain in Jaipur, says, "We are hoping that theatres will reopen between June 15 and June 30, once the government approves the guidelines submitted by the industry."

Among other rules, the theatres have proposed deep-cleaning of auditorium seats on a daily basis and temperature checks of audience. Cinema staff will have to mandatorily wear masks and gloves, and download Aarogya Setu app on their phones. Cinemas will also employ a staggered seating arrangement in the auditoriums to enable social distancing. "At the onset, we might be allowed only 50 per cent occupancy," adds Bansal.

Which, in turn, begs the question: will big-budget films — including Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi that has been waiting in the wings for two months — hit the screens, knowing there will be a dramatic dip in footfalls? "Sooryavanshi will be one of the first few films to release, but the producers may delay its release by a few weeks. They may initially want to gauge [the footfalls]. Big movies like Sooryavanshi and Radhe will lure the audiences back to the theatres," he says.

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi, who runs 17 single screens across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, believes they can fall back on Hollywood biggies in the first few weeks, if Hindi filmmakers adopt a wait-and-watch attitude. "Tenet, Wonder Woman 1984 and Mulan are slated to release between July and August. We can also collaborate with producers and take relatively smaller films like Ali Abbas Zafar's Khaali Peeli beyond the 15 big centres."

Safety At The Screens
- Encourage online booking of tickets to avoid queueing
- Food and beverages to be ordered through app to minimise human contact
- Masks and PPE kits to be made available for purchase

BOMBAY TIMES (March 5, 2020)

With over 91,000 cases and over 3,000 deaths, the effects of the coronavirus are now being seen worldwide. The virus has affected not just tourism, education and work life, but even the film industry. China, where the virus first broke out, is the second-largest moviegoing market, and it plunged by nearly $2 billion as compared to January and February 2019. Last year, the country’s box office hit a record $9.2 billion, more than 20% of worldwide revenues. This year, the key holiday period (from January 24 to February 12), generated just $3.94 million in sales, compared to the $1.76 billion last year, according to Artisan Gateway, a consultancy that follows the Chinese film industry.

According to a report by a Hollywood magazine, the global film industry is facing a $5 billion loss amid the coronavirus outbreak. The virus has impacted moviegoers of China, Japan (the third-largest moviegoing market) and South Korea (the fifth-largest moviegoing market). In February, revenue in South Korea slid nearly 70%. According to KOBIS, South Korea’s national box office service, ticket sales for last month totalled $52 million, as compared to the $158 million over the same period last year. In Japan, while official data has not yet been released, local analysts are expecting a slide of around 10-15%.

Makers initially planned promotions for the Bond franchise, No Time To Die, in China, South Korea and Japan, but those plans have now been cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. The founders of two of the most popular James Bond fan sites are even asking the makers to postpone the film’s release. What’s more, Mulan, which was a $200 million adventure film with a cast comprising Asian actors, including Wuhan-born Liu Yifei in the title role, was expected to do well in markets like China, but it may not be released for a few weeks or months. At the same time, makers of the Margot Robbie-starrer Birds Of Prey have blamed the coronavirus outbreak for the losses they suffered. And recently, the makers of Mission: Impossible 7 revealed that they had to stop filming in Italy’s Venice due to increasing coronavirus cases.