One of the largest chains of movie theaters is (probably) going bankrupt

The world's second largest cinema chain, Cineworld, is continuing to weigh its options for bankruptcy and restructuring, including filing Chapter 11.

Cineworld To Remain Open While Pursuing Chapter 11 And A "Fully Funded De-Leveraging"

This is a chain with 9000 theaters, which makes this a pretty big deal.

It blamed its financial woes not only on the pandemic, but on a "lack of blockbusters" hurting admissions now that people are allowed back in theaters.

Translation: Nobody wants to watch the crap they're putting out anymore. The only keep keeping Disney going is the Marvel franchise, and even that is getting pretty close to the bottom of the barrel. (They're down to effin' She Hulk, for crying out loud. A comic that begins & ends with the premise "Let's turn the Hulk into a woman with big boobs.")

The last movie I went to the theaters to watch was the Dora the Explorer movie, and I can't even tell you the last movie I actually wanted to see. (But in all fairness, the Dora movie was actually pretty fun.)

I honestly think that we're watching the decline and eventual demise of the entire Hollywood film industry. Nobody cares about movie starts anymore, and what passes for celebrities now are reality-TV stars that will be forgotten within the next couple of weeks.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I have seen better movies from little companies and individuals on YouTube. Take Dust for example. They have some real gems in that channel.

Unlike the Hollywood's movies which are mostly same old same old, or crap.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

If I remember correctly there are several theatre chains having financial issues over the last few years.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Adapt or die. Unfortunately, the theatre business has not done much except improve seating.

I still would like to see the new Top Gun in a theatre.

a reply to: Axios

They are going the same way as Blockbuster Video stores, for similar reasons.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

If I were them I would blame Hollywierd for the attempts to make us all crazy stupid using mind games on us and close down for homeless shelters. Then write off their losses, and buy some land before Bill Gates claims it all to make us starve or eat lab created meat.

"Replicator: I want a warn cup of Coffee with medium roast and a teaspoon of Honey" is in our future, but I am not read for replicator meats anytime soon.

Rant off /s

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Axios

They are going the same way as Blockbuster Video stores, for similar reasons.

Yup. Whenever I think of blockbuster, I invariably think about how natural of a step it would have been for them to be one of the first pre-netflix streaming platforms.

Evolution is needed for theatres, unfortunately, there just doesnt seem to be an obvious "step" for them branch into.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

There are several possibilities attributable to the downturn. Quality, in our shared opinion, is the big one as you already mentioned.

The ripple affects of purposely lowering economic activity apparently has a way of wiping out entire industries. Go figure.

Then you have the distributors themselves switching to streaming the actual theater releases for home viewing. For those aware of file sharing, as soon as a title is released on ANY streaming service, it's available for free download within 24 hours. 4k quality and no strings attached.

The only way to survive now is to create franchises which further degrades the quality and diversity.

The industry keeps pumping out disaster after disaster and movie theaters are just too expensive for the consumers to take the risk of being chronically disappointed.

I've asked for my money back more times than I can count over the last twenty years.

When the Drive-In industry went belly up, that was in part to push moviegoers into actual theaters, streamlining the flow of profits. What they inadvertently did was destroy a part of American culture to increase profit efficiency.

Sure, it happens, but make no mistake, monopolies and conglomerates have no soul or remorse. Just as Walmart killed mom and pop businesses, so too will be the demise of the movie industry.
⭐+🇺🇸

Netflix, Prime Video, massive TVs, etc. Game over picture houses.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan


Hmm... That's Funny , Hollywood went Morally Bankrupt Decades Ago . What were they Showing ? .......

Hollywood should stop with acting special and not wait months or longer before they sell the movies to streaming services.

Many movies i would have wanted to see , but simple skipped because i do not like to go to the theater anymore.

It is not about the money , but about comfort and the ability to enjoy a movie.

I remember going to a Lord of the Rings movie , in a packed theater with hundreds of people and bad airconditioning.

Never again lol.

If the larger studio's would set up a shared streaming service , they would get my money , now they don't.

A lot of good replies in this thread, showing a multitude of reasons why Hollywood™ is dying.

But am willing to place a bet : that that will not be the public excuse, and Media-Spin™.

They're gonna blame it on Us™.
It's our fault.
Just like it always is, was, and will be.

Too much illegal downloads, etc ... Bla-bla-bla ...

Result : we must tighten restrictions on the internet, and we need more Controls™ !!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Be nice if that can happen to the rest of them. No need for a movie theater these days. Straight to streaming!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I wonder how the home theater industry is doing as well? Im sure there was a surge with covid but right before and now I would be curious to see if they have gone down as well or are going down.

I haven't been to a movie theater in long time (Years). I think the last one I went and saw at the theater might have been Prometheus?

Primary reason I stopped attending the theaters was because lack of movies I had any interesting to go watch.

I was a HUGE movie buff for sci fi films (not super hero cr@p or stars wars fantasy cr#p) and couldn't wait for the movies to come out. I also would buy the latest and biggest video and audio equipment for my home theater. Then it came to a point I not only stopped searching for what new sci fi movies were coming out but I also stop attending the theaters. Then it came a point that I didn't even care any longer to get the latest home theater equipment to watch some garbage film.

Now I mainly hope to get my brain biden'd for a couple hours so I forget the plot lines of old movies I loved so I can rewatch them , lol

The funny thing is that I think like most Oligarch they get fat dumb and lazy and often refuse change until its to late. The old tired method of targeting the teen markets for blockbuster is not going to pan out well for them the way they are proceeding. I have 3 very active and social teenagers and several teen nephews and nieces with all different backgrounds and likes with godzillian friends each, but one thing they all agree on is that going to the theaters to watch a movie is at the very bottom of their list. Between social media , online gaming, and the restraints to use their phones on the theater they have very little interest.

Then you have what appears to be a conflicting business models between the newer theaters and the movie industry. Where you have Hollywood pushing woke ideology targeted at the minority of the population and teens who have no interest to watch them in the first place, while the theaters themselves are pushing for more of an adult audience by selling alcohol and even putting 21 and older restrictions on entering the premise.

Maybe their goal is to make the movies so horrendous that people even stop pirating them. Mission accomplished, lol .

drive ins sound awesome. outdoors

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan

....the Marvel franchise, and even that is getting pretty close to the bottom of the barrel.

"Getting"? It's always been bottom of the barrel. All superhero movies are the exact same formula repeated over and over, with just slight details changed, but it's all the same crap. I mean I'm glad people are finally realizing that, but I don't know why it took so long.

originally posted by: TTU77
drive throughs sound awesome. outdoors

I think you mean 'Drive-Ins.

originally posted by: BrokenCircles

originally posted by: TTU77
drive throughs sound awesome. outdoors

I think you mean 'Drive-Ins.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

In my defense, I'm older now and I prefer not dealing with assholes anyway. Can't pause the damn movie and rewind if you missed an important line/dialogue or pause and go to the bathroom. I vape... Regular and irregular.

I can't bring my five pound cannisters of pork rinds from sam's club. And the break-ins are spectacular.

My last movie was Star Wars.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
I feel asleep.

Good, I am getting rid of all media, only keeping a few
things if the people involved have made a stand for
good. Any woke musician, actor, etc goes in the trash.

Or better yet sell it for nothing to make a statement.