Netflix Brings Its Movies to Theaters: A New Era for Film Viewing?
Recently, the news that Netflix will be screening three of its original films in theaters has been generating buzz.
Unlike the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, when OTT platforms replaced theater audiences, there's now an opportunity to see notable works in cinemas.
In particular, movie fans are anticipating the theatrical releases of Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' and Kathryn Bigelow's 'House of Dynamite,' which will be playing in major theaters.
'Frankenstein' premiered on June 22nd, and 'House of Dynamite' has been showing since June 8th.
Both films are directed by Academy Award-winning directors and were first unveiled at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.
Netflix plans to stream these two movies on July 7th and July 24th, so catching them in theaters beforehand might be a great option.
Notably, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' one of Netflix's biggest hits, is also having a special sing-along screening.
It will be held at CGV for two days starting October 31st for Halloween, which is great news for K-pop fans!
Netflix's move to screen its works in theaters provides a new experience for audiences and plays a significant role in elevating the status of OTT platforms.
Theatrical releases are becoming less unusual because major film festivals, such as the American Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival, require a certain period of theatrical release.
Already, 'Kedeheon' (K-Pop Demon Hunters) was released on over 17,000 screens in North America, attracting audiences and grossing approximately $19.2 million in two days.
As such, theatrical screenings are becoming a way to enhance communication with the audience, going beyond simply watching a movie.
The collaboration between CJ CGV and Netflix is also noteworthy. In a theater scene where the number of moviegoers has decreased since the pandemic, this collaboration is expected to have a positive impact.
An official from CGV stated, "These releases are works with fandom and topicality, so they can attract audience attention."
However, the reality of declining theater attendance remains a concern. According to statistics from the Korean Film Council, the number of theatergoers last year was 123.13 million, a decrease from the previous year, and the number of commercial film releases was only about half of what it was before the pandemic.
In this situation, some argue that Netflix's theatrical releases are a 'bittersweet pill,' but audience choice is the most important thing.
Film critic Jung Ji-wook stated, "These releases show that watching a movie with others is the essence of cinema," and mentioned, "If audience demand increases, Netflix is likely to enter the theater industry in earnest."
In other words, it opens up the possibility of achieving harmony between the reason for the existence of theaters and OTT platforms.
Ultimately, this Netflix theatrical release will provide an experience beyond simply watching a movie.
This is a highly anticipated opportunity for movie fans, and we hope that these kinds of moves will continue in the future.
We look forward to the day when the boundaries between theaters and OTTs blur, and more movies meet the audience.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/kangzx22
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