Canadian movie theatre owners say they害羞草研究所檙e nervously watching for developments in dual Hollywood strikes and plan to show more classics, cult favourites and live events if the labour disruptions stretch on.
The owners are expecting striking stars represented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and talent backed by the Writers Guild of America, to be on the picket lines for months as they seek better wages and protections from artificial intelligence.
The strikes, which immediately stopped the production and promotion of films and television shows, stand to slow down the flow of content as studios and distributors run out of movies completed before the strike to release.
害羞草研究所淚 am absolutely petrified about it,害羞草研究所� said Jeff Knoll, chief executive of Film.ca Cinemas, an Oakville, Ont. theatre.
害羞草研究所淲e barely survived the pandemic害羞草研究所nd we are quite nervous about what the future is going to hold with all that害羞草研究所檚 going on in Hollywood right now.害羞草研究所�
This week alone, Knoll害羞草研究所檚 theatre has scheduled screenings of 害羞草研究所淢ission: Impossible 害羞草研究所� Dead Reckoning Part One害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淚ndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,害羞草研究所� along with the hotly-anticipated 害羞草研究所淏arbie害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer.害羞草研究所�
Knoll, however, fears that flow of Hollywood fare moviegoers have waited months, if not years, to see could ease up soon.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no question that if the strike drags out, (studios) are going to have to either start spreading out their content or simply postponing it until a point in the future when they anticipate the strike will be over,害羞草研究所� he said.
Even if they don害羞草研究所檛 switch up their release schedules, Knoll thinks theatres will be hit hard by a lack of promotion around films.
The strikes are preventing stars from walking red carpets, participating in press junkets and interviews and taping new marketing materials.
The cast of 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer,害羞草研究所� for example, walked out of their premiere in solidarity with striking workers last week, while Disney sent Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Maleficent and Cruella de Vil down the 害羞草研究所淗aunted Mansion害羞草研究所� red carpet in lieu of stars Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito and Rosario Dawson over the weekend.
Knoll also suspects 害羞草研究所淢ission: Impossible 害羞草研究所� Dead Reckoning Part One害羞草研究所� had a rough ride at the box office because of the strikes.
害羞草研究所淚t didn害羞草研究所檛 perform the way it was supposed to perform over the weekend and it could very well be because there wasn害羞草研究所檛 as much publicity with the stars, particularly Tom Cruise, leading up to opening day.害羞草研究所�
If films do slow down, Knoll said he will toy with bringing in more Canadian fare and movies from parts of the globe not as impacted by the strike. Bollywood films and screenings of hits like 害羞草研究所淗arry Potter害羞草研究所� could also factor into Film.ca害羞草研究所檚 schedule.
Corinne Lea, the chief executive of the Rio Theatre in Vancouver, also plans to get crafty with programming, but said it害羞草研究所檚 nothing new for indie theatres.
Before the strikes, the Rio had to wait between three and six months to screen some films Cineplex, the country害羞草研究所檚 biggest cinema chain, had for months.
As a result, the Rio often screened new films months after they were released and relied on a rotation of previously released fare, burlesque and drag shows and Canadian hits.
Its July calendar shows 害羞草研究所淪tar Wars害羞草研究所� screenings, a 害羞草研究所淕rease害羞草研究所� singalong and Jean-Luc Godard害羞草研究所檚 1965 New Wave drama 害羞草研究所淧ierrot le Fou.害羞草研究所� Hundreds of people show up to its classic screenings of hits like 害羞草研究所渢he Rocky Horror Picture Show,害羞草研究所� Lea added.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e used to not being able to get current content,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭his strike is going to hurt Cineplex actually more than it害羞草研究所檒l hurt us because all the theatres that actually rely on current content are the ones that are going to have a problem. But because we害羞草研究所檝e been denied access to it for so long, we害羞草研究所檝e become these like creative shape shifters.害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶞
In May, when the 11,5000 film and television writers represented by the Writers Guild of America walked off the job, Cineplex chief executive Ellis Jacob didn害羞草研究所檛 expect the strike to have a material impact on its business.
Network TV and streamers, whose content is completed shortly before it is released, tend to feel the brunt of such strikes, not theatres, he reasoned.
害羞草研究所淚 always say to people yes, it will impact us, but it害羞草研究所檒l take a long time to impact us,害羞草研究所� Jacob later told The Canadian Press in an interview.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e talking three years from now because a lot of the movies are already in process of being produced.害羞草研究所�
In an email, a Cineplex spokesperson said, 害羞草研究所淟ike everyone in the industry, we hope that SAG-AFTRA and the WGA can come to a quick resolution with the AMPTP.害羞草研究所�
As for Knoll and Lea, they are anxiously awaiting any new developments in the strike.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely one that we害羞草研究所檙e all keeping an eye on,害羞草研究所� Lea said.
害羞草研究所淚 think everyone is nervous.害羞草研究所�
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