YouTube stars are coming to a theater near you. Earlier this month, Regal announced it will release Dude Perfect: The Hero Tour, in its theaters nationwide. The move comes as theater chains struggle to woo audiences into seats.
James Hirsen, LA-based law professor and cultural commentator, hailed Regal’s move. “It makes perfect sense for them to bypass Hollywood, create their own distribution entity.”
Hirsen thinks partnering with Dude Perfect is good business. The unabashedly family-friendly Christian group has over 60 million subscribers on YouTube, making it one of the most popular channels on the site. “They’re kind of alike a Christian Mr. Beast,” Hirsen said.
Trouble at the Movies
According to Bloomberg’s entertainment reporter Lucas Shaw, movie ticket sales are “about 25% below their pre-pandemic level, and the number of wide releases is down.” With fewer newer movies in cinemas, chains are relying on other ways to ‘eventize’ theatergoing.
Filmed events, like the upcoming Dude Perfect movie, can have have success at the box office. Shaw also noted just two years ago, Taylor Swift’s documentary, The Eras Tour, became the highest-grossing concert film of all time.
In addition to content, theater owners are experimenting with other ways of wooing customers to the big screen. For example, Regal offers discounted movies on Tuesday and reports better performance on Tuesdays than on Mondays and Wednesdays. Many theaters also have recliner seats and premium drinks, creating a more comfortable atmosphere. One theater chain in Texas has even has bowling, bocce, and pickleball.
New Survey Data
A recent survey from Civic Science gives insights into why Americans aren’t going to the movies as much as they used to. The three primary reasons “non-regular moviegoers” said they don’t go to see movies in theaters more often are: lack of interest in movies shown (30%), ticket prices (27%), and convenience of watching movies at home (20%).
The breakdown by age reveals a shift in social behavior. One in four of the youngest group surveyed (18-29) said they don’t see movies in theaters because they don’t like crowds. That’s more than 15 percentage points higher than the 65+ respondents.
The decline of cinema is not a new concept. In an essay for the New York Times in 1995, critic Susan Sontang wrote, “the lowering of expectations for quality and the inflation of expectations for profit have made it virtually impossible for artistically ambitious American directors…to work at their best level.” Considering the survey data shows lack of interest in the movies, it seems Sontag was correct.
Check out Relevant Radio+ for amazing content offerings!