Canadian Movie Theatres Prepare for Hollywood Strikes to Impact Sales

Strategic Insights -

Canadian movie theatre owners are on high alert as two major Hollywood strikes may significantly reduce the flow of new films and TV shows, potentially devastating box office sales. With the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) striking for better wages and protections from artificial intelligence, theatre owners are worried about the long-term impact on their businesses.

Key Takeaways:

  • Canadian movie theatre owners are worried about the long-term impact of the Hollywood strikes on their businesses, with some predicting a significant reduction in the flow of new films and TV shows.
  • Theatre owners plan to show more classics, cult favourites, and live events if the labour disruptions stretch on, rather than relying on Hollywood releases.
  • The strikes have already had an impact on the box office, with films like Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One reportedly performing poorly due to a lack of publicity.
  • Canadian theatre owners are considering showing more international films, including Bollywood movies and classics, to mitigate the impact of the strikes.
  • Independent theatres like the Rio Theatre in Vancouver may be better equipped to handle the strikes due to their experience with delayed releases and relying on previously released content.

Statistics:

  • 11,500 film and television writers represented by the Writers Guild of America walked off the job in May.
  • The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America strikes are expected to last for months, potentially stretching into years.
  • A Cineplex spokesperson stated that the company "hope[s] that SAG-AFTRA and the WGA can come to a quick resolution with the AMPTP."
  • Hundreds of people attend classic screenings at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver, where they show previously released fare, burlesque, and drag shows.
  • According to a Cineplex professional, network TV and streamers are more likely to be impacted by such strikes, not theatres.

Sources:

  • The Canadian Press (Tara Deschamps)
  • Interview with Jeff Knoll, chief executive of Film.ca Cinemas, an Oakville, Ont., theatre.
  • Interview with Corinne Lea, the chief executive of the Rio Theatre in Vancouver.
  • Statement by Ellis Jacob, Cineplex chief executive, in an interview with The Canadian Press.
  • Email by Cineplex spokesperson.