For most of the 20th century, seeing a new film meant going to a theater. Today, many films premiere on streaming platforms, and theaters compete with home screens. The change raises big questions about how films are made, released and experienced.
From DVDs to streaming
Netflix began as a DVD-by-mail service and launched streaming in 2007. Over the following decade, streaming platforms multiplied and began producing their own films, attracting major directors with creative freedom and large budgets.
The theatrical window
Films traditionally played exclusively in theaters for around three months before arriving on home video. During the COVID-19 pandemic, theaters closed and studios released films directly to streaming or simultaneously in theaters and online. Since then, exclusive theatrical windows have become much shorter for many films, often around 45 days or less.
Is the movie theater dying?
Attendance has not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels in many markets, and some chains have struggled financially. Yet event films still draw crowds: in July 2023, the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer (“Barbenheimer”) became a social phenomenon. Theaters are investing in large-format screens, premium seating and special events to offer something home viewing cannot.
How the viewing experience changes
At home, viewers pause, check phones and abandon films more easily, and filmmakers worry about films being watched on small screens with poor sound. On the other hand, streaming has made a huge range of films, including older classics and international cinema, available to more people than ever. Game consoles have become streaming boxes too; you can, for example, watch Peacock on a PS5.
Virtual reality and new formats
Virtual reality films and interactive stories have been showcased at festivals, but VR has not become a mainstream way to watch films. Headset comfort, cost and the difficulty of telling stories when viewers can look anywhere remain challenges.
AI and the 2023 strikes
In 2023, the Writers Guild of America went on strike for 148 days and the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA also struck. Streaming residuals and protections against the use of artificial intelligence were central issues; the agreements that ended the strikes included rules on how studios may use AI in writing and on digital replicas of performers. AI tools can generate text and images, but whether they can write a great screenplay without human writers remains doubtful.
Technology has changed filmmaking itself too; see CGI and practical effects. The way streaming affects ticket sales is also discussed in reviews and the box office.
