http://www.slashfilm.com/why-some-movie-theaters-are-refusing-to-play-star-wars-the-last-jedi/

Disney is forcing theaters to agree to secret terms that many theater owners are calling "the most onerous they’ve ever seen." The company will receive 65% of revenue from ticket sales, the highest percentage a Hollywood studio has ever demanded. They’re also forcing theaters to screen the film in their largest auditorium for at least four weeks.

If any Last Jedi movie theaters break any condition of the agreement -- pulling just one screening from the schedule, for example, or even advertising the movie before Disney gives their approval -- the studio will charge a 5% penalty fee, raising their take to a staggering 70% of ticket sale revenue. But tiny one or two-screen theaters in small towns would actually be hurt by keeping The Last Jedi in theaters for four weeks and not being able to screen other releases on those screens instead.

This isn't any big news, honestly. I have friends who own multiple theaters, and like they'll tell you, Disney has been pulling this for a while. Think she told me they demanded 60% for the new Thor film. That's why theaters make next to nothing on ticket sales. The money is in concession. Think about the times you go to a movie. I can tell you, last time I went to a big chain cinema (a Regal theater), the tickets were around $26 for a pair and the concession price (a couple popcorns, some candy, drinks etc.) was around $40. Buying the food (and not sneaking it in) is what keeps the lights on at your local theaters, esp. the little mom and pop ones.

One more thing--it's laughable to think any theater wouldn't carry the biggest film of the year (let's not kid ourselves that it won't be) just because of high percentage take by Disney. That is absolutely shooting yourself in the business foot.

Kind of nasty that they demand more than half of the revenue from ticket sales. Sigh. That aside, it's still worth going along with it as sad as it is!

The only time where you can take a stand to things like this is when the majority of theaters are joining in. And they probably won't be.

Good job I won't be watching it ever then.

I'm not helping Disney eat all the corporations with my money.

There'll be Disney representation in the Military Industrial Complex one day, then we're in trouble.

Disclaimer applies to that last sentence to avoid any "tin foil hat" stuff.

There'll be Disney representation in the Military Industrial Complex one day, then we're in trouble.

I would like to draw your attention to a well-known Disney classic of 1943. It's called "Victory Through Air Power"

"Those terms include the fact that Disney will receive 65% of revenue from ticket sales, the highest percentage a Hollywood studio has ever demanded. They’re also forcing theaters to screen the film in their largest auditorium for at least four weeks. For previous Star Wars movies, the studio has required 64% of the revenue from ticket sales and four week commitments"

So, Disney demands an additional 1% of ticket revenue, and otherwise keeps their terms the same as for the past two Star Wars movies? Okay.

"Those terms include the fact that Disney will receive 65% of revenue from ticket sales, the highest percentage a Hollywood studio has ever demanded. They’re also forcing theaters to screen the film in their largest auditorium for at least four weeks. For previous Star Wars movies, the studio has required 64% of the revenue from ticket sales and four week commitments"

 

So, Disney demands an additional 1% of ticket revenue, and otherwise keeps their terms the same as for the past two Star Wars movies? Okay.

Does this make this bahaviou better in any form?

Does this make this bahaviou better in any form?

If it is already common industry practice for studios to set terms for weekly commitments and revenue percentages on their big-budget releases, and Disney is just leveraging the huge demand for their product to set those terms incrementally higher, then yes, that is pretty different (even "better") than if Disney was just rolling in out of the blue and doing something completely new and disruptive to the industry.

I'm not saying I think the industry practice is good, but doesn't feel like 'stop the presses' material.

If it is already common industry practice for studios to set terms for weekly commitments and revenue percentages on their big-budget releases, and Disney is just leveraging the huge demand for their product to set those terms incrementally higher, then yes, that is pretty different (even "better") than if Disney was just rolling in out of the blue and doing something completely new and disruptive to the industry.

 

I'm not saying I think the industry practice is good, but doesn't feel like 'stop the presses' material.

This is what I pointed out in my post. Disney has been doing this for a while; it's nothing new. As I stated--I have friends who own several theaters, and was just talking to one of them a few days ago and this happened to come up. She told me they had to pay like 60% just for Thor: Ragnarok. Because of the steep demands they don't charge a high price for the tickets. Their money is in concessions. If you want to support your local theaters, you buy the popcorn etc. You don't sneak in food. The food-buying is what keeps the lights on, NOT the movie tickets, there's just no money in it. BUT, it's ludicrous for any theater to ever say "Well, I'm not carrying a Marvel or Star Wars film." Those are massive draws, and you're just hurting your business by saying you won't.

Are we really crying about the hardships of multiplexes?

They do fine with concessions and ads, and i don't think they are loosing any sleep over the smaller theatres they put out of business.

hmm, when I was a kid cinemas in my country haven't had anything like "concessions" or adds. There was just some proaganda before the main movie. Later they skipped even that propaganda.

Those things changed after 1989, but I find it disgusting to buy any kind of "food" or drink there.

If I go to cinema, I go to watch a movie, not to consume tonnes of popcorn or drink beer/cola/whatever.

When I seen people doing that I always ask myself - "***, can;t they spend 2 hours WITHOUT chewing or swallowing liquids?"

Not to mention the fact that those "concessions" cost some 5 times more than what you would pay in the store.

My kids know that if they go with me, they eat/drink well at home, NOT in cinema.

But it's me.

I don't go to movie theatres for their luxurious accomodations. I go for the movie itself. I'm glad that the percentage is turning towards the movie studio instead of the theatre.

Honestly, it's pretty amazing that going to the theatre is still the only way to catch the new releases. This is the same distribution method as a hundred years ago. Can't we do better?

No news here.

Company asks for something considered bold. Rules of supply and demand ensue.

If it works, lots of people get raises.

If it fails, lots of people lose their jobs.

After launch weekend, people ask "did you see it yet?"

Life goes on.

All non-internet media in the US is owned by 6 conglomerates, Disney is one of them (and internet is now going down the same route). Had it not been Disney, it would have been someone else, and it would be no different.

This is a trend not specific to Star Wars, but movies are no longer based on a story someone wrote. Movies are now the result of a market research team, who present a set of data points to a story group (like the Lucasfilm Story group), who with a director write a storyline designed to appeal to as much of the audience as possible.

All non-internet media in the US is owned by 6 conglomerates, Disney is one of them (and internet is now going down the same route). Had it not been Disney, it would have been someone else, and it would be no different.

 

This is a trend not specific to Star Wars, but movies are no longer based on a story someone wrote. Movies are now the result of a market research team, who present a set of data points to a story group (like the Lucasfilm Story group), who with a director write a storyline designed to appeal to as much of the audience as possible.

1/3 should be the maximum by law in every country world wide....

but this is called socialism not be exploited as customer right? :-)