Movie theaters have taken a large hit on their businesses because of the Covid-19 pandemic, opening doors for streaming services. All new movies such as Mulan, Trolls World Tour, and Scoob have been released straight to streaming platforms. Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Prime Video are all streaming sites that have been seeing significant increases in their profits and popularity.
The new live action Mulan movie was released on September 4th on Disney Plus for $29.99 or “free” for those with premium membership. Disney Plus “collected over $260 million” in profits just from this one movie according to RebublicWorld.com.
Movie theaters, on the hand, haven’t been doing as well. Many teachers have closed down since the pandemic and some are now trying to re-open with strict regulations. It is unsure whether or not the losses over quarantine can be made up for. Theaters worldwide have lost “as much as $20 billion globally since the pandemic” according to nbcnewyork.com. Despite this loss, theaters are confident that people will start coming back to watch movies after the pandemic is fully over. Those that are beginning to open their doors implemented extra safety precautions such as face masks, social distancing rules, a maximum capacity number, sanitizing, and staggered movie times. Even with these restrictions, theaters are still not seeing the same popularity in attendance as before. Many movie-goers are reluctant to attend, due to the worry of a large indoor gathering which imposes risks of contracting the coronavirus. The future of movie theaters still seems meek as of right now, but they remain optimistic for the day where people will flock back to the cinema’s.
Bronwyn Spencer
Staff Writer
Graphic: Bronwyn Spencer