Tech advancements allowed theaters worldwide to handle unprecedented demand for the MCU climax
How has the movie theater business changed in the last decade? Sure, there’s been streaming, declining ticket sales and a wave of recliners, alcohol and other new offerings to entice customers back to multiplexes. But on opening weekend of “Avengers: Endgame,” all those stormy warnings of industry decline never felt more distant.
In theaters around the world, from rural markets to the biggest cities, screenings for the Marvel Studios blockbuster were selling out just minutes after advance tickets went on sale weeks before release. Hundreds of the largest theaters in the country stayed open around the clock for the whole weekend, and thousands more introduced new screenings once all their available showtimes sold out. And then when those new showtimes sold out, they added even more.
Movie theaters have had to turn on all the concession cashiers and bring all hands on deck for event releases in the past — the 1999 release of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” comes to mind — but nothing on the scale seen with the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” That theaters were able to so quickly meet that demand is thanks to several key technological advances and trends that evolved in the last decade:
Online ticketing: Ryan Noonan, public relations director at AMC Theaters, points to online ticketing as the biggest change the exhibition industry has seen in the last few years. In 2010, AMC estimates that around 5% of tickets sold by the theater chain came from ticketing websites. In 2014, AMC added online ticketing to their own website, and this year, it estimates that more than 50% of ticket sales have come from either their site or third party partners like Fandango or Atom Tickets. “It’s an option that our customers are especially using now, avoiding lines for the box office during the winter months,” Noonan told TheWrap. “Before online ticketing, I’m sure everyone could remember having to wait in long lines going down the sidewalk to get a ticket for a big movie on opening night. Now they can skip the line and we can get them into the theater faster.”
Reserved seating: With online ticketing came reserved seats, another trend that Noonan says has changed how moviegoers approach getting tickets. “I think that having reserved seats has made going to the movies into something that people plan out in advance more often, much like going to a sports game or a concert,” he said. “We try to accommodate those people who want to plan ahead by giving them the option to order concessions online as well as tickets, and for our theaters that helps reduce congestion when we have high attendance.”
Showtimes on Google: The high attendance all weekend for “Avengers” required moviegoers to know when new showtimes became available. Thanks to the other big tech advance of the decade — showtimes on Google — that was possible. Gone are the days of checking a newspaper or calling the theater for updated schedules. Now, new showtimes for event releases can be created by theaters and posted for easy access for customers within minutes.
Getting that data from movie theaters to Google is the job of French data company Webedia and their recently rebranded cinema division, The Boxoffice Company. Last month, the two businesses announced that they would work together to create a new, enhanced ticketing system for Google that would allow users to search for a movie and find showtimes, and then guide them to Fandango and other sites where they can buy tickets.
“We work with the studios on all major releases to synchronize when advance tickets go on sale, and then we are connected on a minute-to-minute basis with all the point-of-sale outlets like movie theaters to quickly update when new showtimes are added to the schedule,” The Boxoffice Company CPO Marine Suttle said.
“This technology also helps with targeting specific customers based on the movies they buy tickets for, as theater chains and online ticketers are now using their loyalty programs to guide customers to movies that they may be interested in based on their buying habits,” she added.
Movie theater execs insist that streaming is not an enemy of their industry.
National Association of Theatre Owners president, John Fithian, said as much in his interview with TheWrap last month. But no one can deny that in an age where people can access millions of movies without leaving their couch, the process of going out to a theater can feel like a hassle in comparison. While recliners and the best projection and sound can be nice perks, it will be for naught if an infrequent moviegoer is put off from returning to a theater by a string of inconveniences. Continuing to streamline that experience will be key for theaters moving forward.
2019 Movie Franchise Tracker: Which Blockbusters Are Getting Sequels? (Photos)
Another year gone by, which means it's time to look back at a year of Hollywood franchises – and ahead to what's to come. Disney, as expected, cleaned house in 2019. But what about the rest? Which franchises will get sequels and which will fall by the wayside?
The Finales: Some sequels did not have designs to set up another sequel, but rather to provide closure and cash in on years of building fandom. Universal was successful in this endeavor early in the year with "Glass" and "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World." But the big finale of the year was, of course, "Avengers: Endgame," the new box office king. SEQUEL?: No, but don't be surprised if Toothless and Iron Man return in several years for a revival attempt.
Marvel Studios
"The Lego Movie 2" ($105 million domestic/ $191 million global): Five years ago, it was considered a big dang travesty that "The Lego Movie" didn't get an Oscar nomination. But after two spinoffs and a long wait, this sequel made less than half what the first film did. Now the rights to make movies about Legos is on the verge of shifting over to Universal. SEQUEL?: No. Reboot? More likely.
Warner Animation Group
"Happy Death Day 2U" ($28M / $64M): This slasher film embraced the ridiculousness of its premise for a much more humorous sequel. Audiences did not show up as much as hoped, but director Christopher B. Landon has said that he's got an outline for a third film in case Jason Blum ever makes the call. SEQUEL?: Unlikely
Blumhouse
"Alita: Battle Angel" ($85M / $402M): Good news? Robert Rodriguez made the next big cult sci-fi film. The bad news? "Alita: Battle Angel" was a domestic flop at the box office, and it's unlikely that a Disney-owned Fox will plunk down the cash for a sequel. Maybe an animated series on Disney+ someday? SEQUEL: Unlikely
20th Century Fox
"Captain Marvel" ($426M / $1.12B): While not as well received among fans as some other films debuting Marvel superheroes, "Captain Marvel" was still a big hit worldwide, and her small but dramatic role in the climax of "Endgame" had fans cheering. Brie Larson and Carol Danvers will be a part of the MCU's future, even if we don't know exactly when we will next see her. SEQUEL?: Yes
Marvel Studios
"Spider-Man: Far From Home" ($390M / $1.13B): The same almost couldn't be said for Tom Holland's Spidey, who was nearly kicked out of the MCU after plans between Sony and Disney to renew their partnership fell through. But Peter Parker's corporate parents made up, and we will get a sequel to Sony's highest grossing film in studio history. SEQUEL?: Yes.
Marvel Studios
"Shazam!" ($140M / $364M): DC's Captain Marvel, a.k.a. Shazam, was a moderately budgeted co-production between Warner Bros. and New Line that promised a lighter, funnier film than past DC installments. While "Endgame" curtailed its box office ceiling, it was still a win for Warner Bros., and Zachary Levi will come back for a 2022 sequel. SEQUEL?: Yes
New Line
"Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" ($144M / $431M): Warner Bros. also found solid success starting a new franchise with Ryan Reynolds in "Detective Pikachu," a film that didn't pass the $500 million mark in the global box office, but it did break the streak of video game movie flops. Producers Legendary Pictures were so confident that they announced a sequel after the trailer came out months before release. SEQUEL: Yes
Warner Bros.
"Godzilla: King of the Monsters" ($110M / $385M): This sequel to the 2014 American "Godzilla" adaptation made less than $400 million worldwide. Warner Bros. will bring back the giant monster next year for a showdown with King Kong in Legendary's MonsterVerse, but the release date was pushed back to November after the earlier film's disappointing result. SEQUEL?: Yes
Warner Bros.
"Hellboy" ($22M / $44 M): This attempt to revive "Hellboy" by replacing Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman with David Harbour and an R rating failed to make back its $50 million budget. The good news for Lionsgate is that it didn't take a writedown, as it only handled distribution. SEQUEL?: No
Lionsgate
"John Wick: Chapter 3" ($171M / $325M): Good news for Lionsgate: They have a franchise again with the "John Wick" series, which is making more at the box office with each successive installment. A fourth chapter is coming in 2021, and a spinoff is in the works as well. SEQUEL?: Yes
Lionsgate
"Dark Phoenix" ($65M / $243M): Fox's "X-Men" series ended not with a bang but with a whimper, bombing so badly that it was pinned as the main reason why Fox reported a nine-digit operational loss during its first financial quarter under Disney ownership. The delayed "New Mutants" spinoff is coming next year, but the next time you see the X-Men will be in the MCU. This version is finished. SEQUEL? No
20th Century Fox
"The Secret Life of Pets 2" ($158M / $429M): When you hit home runs all the time, a base hit feels like a disappointment. The "Secret Life of Pets" sequel was profitable for Universal, but well-below the $875 million worldwide success enjoyed by Illumination for its predecessor. There probably won't be a third "Pets" film, but with a "Minions" sequel on the horizon, Illumination has more than enough on its plate. SEQUEL?: Unlikely
Illumination
Disney Remakes: They may provoke a whole lot of internet grumbling, but the remakes of "Aladdin" and "The Lion King" matched the global total of "Endgame" with $2.72 billion grossed worldwide between them. "Dumbo" was less successful with just $353 million grossed globally, but that can be chalked up to less nostalgia for the 1941 film on which it was based. Expect "Mulan" to keep the gravy train going. SEQUEL?: Remakes. Remakes everywhere.
Disney
"MIB: International" ($80M / $253M): Oh, yeah, this came out, didn't it? It's easy to forget that Sony attempted to revive "Men in Black" without Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, but audiences had little interest, and this spinoff came and went with little fanfare. With Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson committed to another "Thor" film, this isn't coming back. SEQUEL?: No
Sony
"Toy Story 4" ($434M / $1.07B): Another year, another big win for Pixar. This feels like the end of the “Toy Story,” with Woody parting ways with his buddies… but that’s what we thought about “Toy Story 3,” right? For now, Pixar will shift focus to original films like “Onward” and “Soul” while continuing “Toy Story” through shorts on Disney+. SEQUEL?: Maybe
Pixar
"Hobbs & Shaw" ($173M/ $758M): Universal wasn’t counting on this “Fast & Furious” spinoff making a billion like a movie featuring Dominic Toretto would. So, with that in mind, this film was a solid success, and you can expect Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham to return now that “Hobbs & Shaw” has established itself in the minds of summer moviegoers. SEQUEL?: Likely
Universal
Animated busts: Several attempts to launch new family-friendly franchises didn’t pan out. While “The Angry Birds Movie” did OK in 2017, its sequel made less than half the original’s global total with $146 million. STX’s two animated films, the co-produced “UglyDolls” and acquired “Playmobil: The Movie,” were dead on arrival as well.
STX
Stephen King films: Though they came from different studios, there was plenty of King to be had for horror fans this year. “It: Chapter Two,” while not beating the first “It”’s horror box office record, became a success for Warner Bros. with $472 million grossed, while the vicious “Pet Sematary” grossed $112 million for Paramount. On the other hand, “Doctor Sleep” was a bust with just $70 million worldwide. But lack of interest in a “Shining” sequel won’t stop studios from mining King’s work for more adaptations. SEQUEL?: More adaptations.
New Line
"Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" ($112M/ $487M): The sequel for Angelina Jolie’s 2014 subversion of “Sleeping Beauty” took in most of its $484 million haul from overseas, but it still turned a profit for Disney. A third film has not been confirmed and wouldn’t necessarily be a hit with the way grosses dropped from the first film, but it’s up to Alan Horn and Angelina Jolie if they want to go for it. SEQUEL?: Unlikely
Disney
"Terminator: Dark Fate" ($62M / $260M): This is the most high-profile bomb of the year. Whether it was backlash to John Connor being offed or general apathy towards the “Terminator” series, “Dark Fate” has failed to even pass $300 million worldwide. If the return of Linda Hamilton couldn’t get fans to come, what will? SEQUEL?: Unlikely
Paramount
"Frozen II" ($372M / $1.03B): It hit $1 billion. Of course it hit $1 billion. Anna and Elsa’s arrival kicked off a new golden era of CGI filmmaking for Walt Disney Animation, and their return was met by millions of eager kids and the parents who bought them dolls in the image of the two sisters. It’s up to new WDAS creative head Jennifer Lee if she wants to make a third film or just stick to “Frozen” shorts for Disney+. Either way, kids will have plenty of Arendelle in their future. SEQUEL?: Maybe
Disney
"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" ($373.5M global opening): As of writing, the box office fate of Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams’ Skywalker Saga finale is up in the air. A billion dollars is expected, but the exact performance of this much-scrutinized movie could determine the theatrical future of “Star Wars,” which won’t return to cinemas until 2022 for a new trilogy.
Lucasfilm
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Expect more Spidey and Shazam and less Hellboy and Alita
Another year gone by, which means it's time to look back at a year of Hollywood franchises – and ahead to what's to come. Disney, as expected, cleaned house in 2019. But what about the rest? Which franchises will get sequels and which will fall by the wayside?
Marvel Studios
Jeremy Fuster
Box Office Reporter • jeremy.fuster@thewrap.com