Distribution

Screens to Streams: The Evolution of Film Release Windows in Europe (Part Two)

Europe’s film sector has relied on territoriality and rigid release windows to maximize the economic potential of films. Part Two explores the EU’s capitulation to the major studios, the post-lockdown theatrical landscape, and public support rules to preserve traditional release windows.

Distribution

From Blockbusters to Bust: Why the Film Industry is Fading Fast

The film industry is transforming with declining revenues, reducing film output, and a shift in consumer preferences. Major studios are consolidating and struggling, while television emerges as a dominant medium. Theaters face over-leveraging challenges. Streaming services haven’t compensated for theatrical declines.

Streaming

Navigating the Siren Song of Streaming as Studios Get Caught in the Undertow

Hollywood’s approach to thriving in streaming has taken a sharply negative turn in the past few years. Initially, the strategy involved pouring resources into content to lure subscribers and ending profitable licensing agreements with aggregators like Netflix, banking on eventual profitability.

Distribution

The Media Conundrum: A Complex Interplay of Consolidation, Mergers, and Streaming Misfortunes

Unstoppable declines in linear television subscribers coupled with challenges in achieving profits in freshly minted streaming services have led most media companies on the road to consolidation. Over the next 12 months, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal will likely be impacted by consolidation.

Distribution

Studios Revamp Licensing Strategy: Exclusive Distribution Era Ends

Warner Bros. Discovery has lost 2.5 million subscribers in its direct-to-consumer (DTC) division, encompassing HBO cable subscriptions and the Max and Discovery+ streaming services. The company also experienced a massive loss in advertising revenue for linear television, which still keeps the lights on at many studios.

Distribution

Universal’s Unique Deal Bifurcates Pay-One Rights Between Multiple Streamers

Universal Pictures bifurcates the 18-month Pay-One Film Licensing Window for its streaming service Peacock and Amazon. After four initial months on Peacock, Universal’s live-action films will stream exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video for ten months before returning to Peacock for the final four months.

Streaming

Best Year Yet

In 2020, Netflix gained 37 million subscribers worldwide, breaking its 2018 record of 28 million new additions. Currently, Netflix has 204 million active subscribers.

Exhibition

Coming Soon to a Living Room Near You

Day-and-date and other alternative film releasing models have been around for over a decade. Still, most major studios have avoided a strategy that skips the theater altogether, that is, until now.

Distribution

Lockdowns Reshape Content Distribution

COVID-19 has decimated global content pipelines by halting film production, canceling greenlit projects, and closing cinemas. However, the present disruptions have only accelerated transformations that were well underway.

Streaming

AVOD Market Heats Up

Several media companies are holding discussions to acquire advertising-supported video streaming services. Fox Corp is in talks with Tubi, and NBCUniversal is considering Vudu.

Streaming

Streaming in America

Since first delivering DVDs to homes via the postal service, Netflix has come to dominate the SVOD market. The streamer has 67 million subscribers in North America, which takes its total to nearly 160 million worldwide.