Coronavirus' Effect on the Entertainment Industry

[therewillbeblus]

Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over hybrid streaming release, claims loss of potential salary profits hinged on box-office performance

I wonder how many more of these are coming

ScarJo and Disney reach private settlement

[captveg]

What to make of Spider-Man being a monster box office hit while every other film fights for the scraps? It used to be that the Christmas/New Years period was good for multiple films at the box office. Is even that now gone? What is the future of this industry now that Covid has accelerated only the 1% of films making 99% of the box office?

[DarkImbecile]

I would imagine the age differential is the major factor here; older adults are rightly more concerned about the increased risks they face from COVID, so the films that would normally be benefiting from their holiday spending are struggling. Young people, meanwhile, are both less concerned about the pandemic’s impact on them personally and probably less likely to consider the impact they might have on others as a transmission source, so movies that cater to them are performing at basically pre-pandemic levels.

[therewillbeblus]

But according to Kevin Feige, Spider-Man deserves to be recognized in the Best Picture Oscar category this year because it's connecting with all demographics on an emotional level, so are we really going to pretend like he could possibly be wrong about any of this?

[Brian C]

My personal - and therefore anecdotal - observations have been that real-world enthusiasm for the MCU really is surprisingly (to me, anyway) diverse across demographics. That doesn’t mean that Feige’s spin isn’t self-serving spin, of course, but it does mean that “demographics” feels like an incomplete answer to me.

After all, it’s not like Matrix or King’s Man made a dent either.

[domino harvey]

Dune and Don’t Look Up will be popular hits in the Best Picture lineup already, no need to pretend a Marvel movie belongs there

[therewillbeblus]

My personal - and therefore anecdotal - observations have been that real-world enthusiasm for the MCU really is surprisingly (to me, anyway) diverse across demographics. That doesn’t mean that Feige’s spin isn’t self-serving spin, of course, but it does mean that “demographics” feels like an incomplete answer to me.

After all, it’s not like Matrix or King’s Man made a dent either.

Oh I agree. I was making a jab at Feige's connection between the universality of love for Spider-Man and its Oscar-deserving nom, which was a thick deviation from the points being made rather than a sincere challenge to it being popular in relation to the variable of diversity in its audience pool

[captveg]

I would imagine the age differential is the major factor here; older adults are rightly more concerned about the increased risks they face from COVID, so the films that would normally be benefiting from their holiday spending are struggling. Young people, meanwhile, are both less concerned about the pandemic’s impact on them personally and probably less likely to consider the impact they might have on others as a transmission source, so movies that cater to them are performing at basically pre-pandemic levels.

I'd say this is definitely true, but the real question now is does the pendulum ever swing back? I have my doubts it ever does.

[movielocke]

to me there's a satisfying interesting symmetry to the argument Spiderman no way home should be nominated, because I distinctly remember when the first Tobey Maguire Spiderman came out with record breaking opening weekends and eye-popping grosses, and lots of acclaim, and I thought it should get BP consideration that year, but at that time, the oscars had already turned away from nominating blockbusters and it wasn't even an issue that it was snubbed (in my opinion it was lol)

I remember as a teen being irritated that movies like Exorcist, Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders and E.T. had gotten nominations but Spiderman wasn't even in the conversation by the early 2000s era. so I have a bit of smug satisfaction to hear the conversation finally happening.

[domino harvey]

Ice Cube lost out on $9 million dollar starring role because he didn’t want to be vaccinated. Or, as he colorfully tells it:

“I turned down a movie because I didn’t want to get the motherfucking jab,” Cube said, confirming the Oct. 2021 reports. “I turned down $9 million. I didn’t want get the jab. Fuck that jab. Fuck ya’ll for trying to make me get it. I don’t know how Hollywood feels about me right now.”

Well, I know how I feel about you right now…

[therewillbeblus]

I doubt I'm the only one to've see a fair amount of comparisons between the vaccination restrictions and Jim Crow laws on social media (I don't know if this is still happening, as I unfollowed these people a while ago, but I'm sure it is). However, I've really only seen this come from people of color I know who also happen to be conservative/anti-vax. Seems like a ridiculous stretch to lump those together, but then again, I suppose these are people who have more experience with widespread discrimination than I do.. I wonder what the relationship is, what this is kind of ultimatum is triggering for certain populations vs others, etc. (but my musing doesn't overwhelm my belief in utilitarian safety as priority)

[knives]

The African American community has had a lot of things happen that would make members nervous about vaccines. Just in terms of rumors like intentionally infecting people with aids there’s a larger sense of not wanting to be Guinea pigs.

Doesn’t excuse his individual stupidity though.

[therewillbeblus]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking about, though the people I know who I see this from the most are latino immigrants. Most are old co-workers, first generation from PR or the DR

And no, of course not, it just prompted the thought

[knives]

I was listening to an npr piece during the previous election and apparently vaccine skepticism is expressed in a lot of Spanish language radio programs that are often the only source of media many have.