It’s no secret that the cinema industry is in decline. Big streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime have dominated media consumption for over a decade thanks to their accessible prices, ever-growing catalogue, and easy viewing. Audiences can see practically anything, anytime, from the comfort of their home. But the shift in viewing habits transcends mere competition between major streaming platforms. It has now become a battle over the future of storytelling and cinemagoing.
Changing Habits & Poor Ratings
Perhaps the biggest concern and indicator of the future is that Gen Z is no longer relying on cinema as a primary source of content consumption. Scrolling feels far more accessible in the increasingly rushed lives we live, and the appeal of watching the same film online, whilst underneath the blankets and surrounded by your favourite snacks (that the cinema wouldn’t allow in any way), makes it harder to entice younger audiences out of the house. Perhaps it’s the lingering aftereffects of COVID-19, but more and more young people seem content with at-home streaming, where the options feel endless.
Of course, the rapid rise of streaming platforms does not necessarily mean high-quality content. In a recent interview with Joe Rogan, Matt Damon reflected on Netflix’s storytelling style of repeating ‘the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while … watching.’
Audience dissatisfaction is becoming a familiar issue. Many of Netflix’s biggest shows have recently received poor approval ratings and criticism from audiences, perhaps none more so than the final season of ‘Stranger Things’. Audiences on X noted: ‘I don’t think the “netflix second screen writing” thing has been more noticeable than it is in Stranger Things 5. Nearly every scene has the same point repeated multiple times or has a character explaining what just happened. Like every few minutes.’ The highly anticipated finale to the franchise received only 52 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes amongst audiences, sending a clear signal that Netflix and its showrunners are not producing the same high-quality projects that we have seen in the past.
Timothee Chalamet: The Last Cinema-Star?
But amidst innumerable challenges for cinema, some actors are refusing to let the art form die out quietly. Perhaps none more so than Timothee Chalamet.
Chalamet is of the last generation of actors to have been propelled into the spotlight by cinema rather than streamers, and his campaign to get audiences into cinemas feels less like promotion and more like a fight against the collapse of cinema itself. His corroded-orange marketing campaign is centred on being as loud and unconventional as possible — perhaps best summarised by his rapping debut with Scouse artist and lookalike EsDeeKid, which gained 37.4 million views on Instagram within 24 hours.
The Hollywood press campaign has not been this energetic since the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie turned the world pink, and Chalamet’s hard work has paid off. Few could have predicted that the egocentric story of Marty’s dream of becoming a ping pong champion would have such a strong opening weekend, taking in $28.3 million. It now stands as A24’s most successful release, despite their catalogue including blockbuster releases like Civil War and folk-horror Midsommar.
But like all good things, the spectacle of this new marketing style is turning sour as producers compete in a manufactured race for audience attention. Emerald Fennell’s loose adaptation of Wuthering Heights has had a rambunctious few months, capitalising on the elusive charm of Jacob Elordi and featuring lead Margot Robbie in haute-couture style red carpet looks. The Wuthering Heights press tour has been relentless, with each event more flamboyant than the last, in the hope that audiences will finally buy that ticket.
Perhaps less positively received has been the proposed ‘Dunesday.’ Seeking to replicate the unprecedented Barbenheimer moment which dominated the summer of 2023, Dune 3 and Avengers: Doomsday have both been scheduled for release on December 18th of this year. Robert Downey Jnr., who is helming the latest Avengers release, has been upfront in his hopes that this will make an event out of the releases and bring audiences back to the cinema. Only time will tell if this choice is a winning one, but fans have been quick to critique the obviousness of their marketing strategy, with one X user saying, ‘Stop trying to make Barbenheimer happen again. You’re not Barbenheimer.’
The Age of Easy Streaming & Filmmaking
As cinema declines, streamers appear to be maintaining dominance over the industry. Netflix’s announcement of plans to acquire Warner Bros. shocked professionals and audiences alike and is a perfect example of the power streamers hold in shaping the future of storytelling. Despite an industry-wide outcry, the merger looks to be going ahead, strengthening Netflix’s ever-growing monopoly over the media industry.
Another blow for the media has been the rise of AI tools in filmmaking, which critics suspect may be behind some of the awful dialogue seen on screen over the past year. But actors like Liam Neeson and the Naked Gun team are challenging this. The slapstick comedy franchise has consistently reminded viewers of the funniness that comes with being authentically human, which is perhaps why their ‘no AI was used in the making of this poster’ is so refreshingly humorous. In an era where AI is increasingly seen as an asset, art needs to stay human, and Liam Neeson is holding Hollywood accountable.
Novelty is the Answer
And yet, perhaps there is another solution to the decline in cinemagoers. Audiences have consistently asked for new material rather than remakes and live-actions — and A24 is finally delivering. Much of their appeal has come from focusing on new, indie voices in storytelling. Releases such as Everything, Everywhere, All at Once have driven not only high audience viewers but also critical discussions regarding artistry. Even the Dune trilogy has been unique in its newness as a franchise, offering an exciting sci-fi saga that introduces new material into the world of storytelling.
As directors and actors fight for audiences’ attention, the lengths to which they will go to secure virality are ever-growing. From wearing a dress of hair to standing on top of the LA Sphere, some artists remain determined to continue fighting for their craft. However, only through unique and deeply personal storytelling will they succeed in enticing viewers off the sofa and into the once cherished movie theatre. After all, an art form can only remain alive as long as there is art worth celebrating.
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