Studios Pushing Movie Releases Earlier And Earlier, From Midnight To 7 PM On Thursday Openings
By Angie Han/March 15, 2013 2:45 pm EST
Theaters have been doing midnight screenings for a very long time, but the late-night shows have typically been reserved for films that attract a hardcore fanbase, such as the Star Wars prequel films or Marvel- and DC-based properties. In contrast, these 7 PM or 10 PM screenings are targeted at a much broader audience — the kind of people who may not want or be able to sit in a theater until 2 AM.
Paramount’s head of distribution Don Harris told TheWrap that that was precisely the idea behind the decision to open G.I. Joe Wednesday evening. “As we looked at the numbers of kids that were going to be out of school, we thought, “why not let theaters open it for their prime shows and then play it at 10 and again at midnight if they wanted to?'”
There are other benefits to pushing these openings earlier. Hiring staffers to stick around until the wee hours of the morning can be costly, and in some markets it’s even trickier as public transportation services have shut down by the time those movies get out. The earlier screenings also give movies more time to build up buzz, and can beef up opening weekend revenues.
And besides that, part of what makes a midnight screening feel special is the fact that it’s not for the faint of heart. Only the diehards line up at 9 to see the new Hunger Games installment or Marvel movie at 12, and the excitement of being surrounded by other enthusiastic fans is part of the fun. I don’t know if a 7 PM or 10 PM screening could replicate that same feeling.
Do you think pushing openings earlier is a good idea?
