'Theater and Online Simultaneous Release?'... Hollywood Pushes Back: "The Value of Movies Is Only in Theaters"

Film Industry Pushback Continues Amid Growing Trend of OTT Releases by Distributors
'Interstellar' Director Nolan: "Trampling on the Dedication of Film Industry Workers"
Director Mendes Criticizes, "Film Ecosystem Could Be Destroyed"

Film director Christopher Nolan [Photo by AP News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Suhwan and Naju Seok] As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, making it difficult for movie theaters to operate, conflicts are deepening between film companies seeking to expand online video streaming services (OTT) and filmmakers opposing this move. Renowned directors such as Christopher Nolan have begun voicing their opposition.

According to foreign media including the British daily The Guardian on the 8th (local time), after the American film distributor Warner Bros. decided to release its 2021 films simultaneously in theaters and on its OTT service HBO Max, industry professionals have expressed strong backlash. Director Nolan, who has collaborated with Warner Bros. on films like Interstellar and The Dark Knight, criticized the decision as "highly unreasonable" and said it "tramples on the efforts of countless workers dedicated to the film industry."

An advertisement promoting HBO Max, the OTT service of WarnerMedia, the parent company of Warner Bros., is installed on the streets of downtown New York. New York (USA) = EPA Yonhap

The trend of releasing films on OTT platforms, which began with the emergence of the world's largest OTT service Netflix, has accelerated further amid the pandemic. A representative example is Disney's decision to delay the release of the film Mulan last September and ultimately release it exclusively on its OTT service Disney+. In South Korea, films such as Time to Hunt and The Call also chose OTT release over theatrical screenings. However, Warner Bros. is the first to announce a policy of simultaneous release of all films in theaters and on OTT within a year. Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff said in an interview with CNBC that "this decision will be a win-win strategy benefiting both theaters and audiences."

As cases of skipping theatrical release and opting for exclusive OTT release increase, opposition is spreading among film industry workers. The American media Variety reported, "There is a critical view that films are being used merely as a revenue channel for streaming platforms." Sam Mendes, director of the film 1917, also criticized in a June interview, saying, "Theater is the foundation that created the current film ecosystem and that will not change. While OTT is maximizing profits during the pandemic, the film ecosystem could be destroyed."

Warner Bros.' recent decision is also seen as having fueled filmmakers' backlash. CNBC reported, "Warner Bros.' decision for simultaneous OTT release was announced abruptly without prior consultation with the cast and crew of the films," and predicted that "opposition from filmmakers is expected to intensify."

The theater industry shares the same sentiment. AMC, the largest theater chain in the U.S., issued a statement immediately after Warner Bros.' decision became known, calling it "a selfish act that sacrifices film studios and production staff to generate revenue from its OTT service," and said it would "push for urgent consultations with Warner Bros. management on this matter." The National Association of Theatre Owners also released a statement on the 7th, asserting, "The value of films comes only from theatrical screenings," and opposed by saying, "Streaming services cannot be an alternative."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.