Impact of COVID-19 on the Movie Industry
As you’ve probably noticed, the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on many, many different aspects of life. From sports to school, to in-person hangouts, everyone, in one way or another, has been affected by COVID-19. But, for me and many of my friends, another significant effect of the lockdowns relates to entertainment.
Because of the global pandemic, many movies temporarily stopped filming, considering the safety of cast and crew members. Fortunately, many movies have recently resumed filming and are trying to move along as fast as possible — but spring and summer were fairly stagnant in that regard. Some production companies had ready-to-go movies, but they chose to postpone the release dates of new films — because of the closure of movie theaters. As an avid movie watcher, I have been greatly affected by this. Some films I was looking forward to were delayed until later in the fall or until next year. And other movies I was excited to watch have stopped filming, consequently delaying their final release date. For example, the newest installment of James Bond, Live Free or Die, was supposed to come out earlier this year, but it’s now set to be released in mid-November. And DC Comics’ Wonder Woman 1984‘s release date was pushed to the spring/summer of 2021. So, during the pandemic, the lack of new entertainment choices has led me to watch some “older” films and shows. I’ve been binging the true-crime/police procedural show Castle (2009-2016), and I rewatched the first two installments of the To All The Boys series.
But new movies aren’t the only thing I miss about pre-COVID times. I, like millions of other people, love going to the movie theater. The big screen, the excitement of watching something for the first time, the way your heart drops during a plot twist or the way it melts when two characters fall in love, the popcorn, and soda — all of the amazing things that come with a trip to the movies. If you’re like me, a person who has enjoyed countless Hollywood films, then you too are deeply affected by coronavirus and its ramifications on the movie industry.
“Movie theaters need three things to sustain themselves. They need profits, they need people and they need product. Well, this pandemic has affected all three.” — Mike Sodano, New Jersey cinema owner
However, we movie watchers are not the only people affected by this … the actors, crew members, technicians, makeup artists, and production team are too! Sure, the pandemic means many popular films and shows have had some setbacks, which can be very disappointing for teenagers. But think about the actors and everyone else involved in the filmmaking process — they tirelessly work to give the rest of us quality entertainment. With the pandemic, they don’t get to go to work and do what they love. Movie theaters and various companies have been hit hard too; with some films not going to theaters (instead, they’re doing straight-to-streaming), that means a lot less money for every group involved.
All in all, the pandemic has had many far-reaching effects — from distance learning to sports to the movie industry; people all across the globe have been hit hard by COVID-19.
For now, all we can do is enjoy movies and shows from the comfort of our homes. But if you do go out, remember to: wear your mask, wash your hands, maintain social distancing, and stay positive … hopefully, this will all be over soon.
Sources:
Lang, Brent and Rubin, Rebecca. “After ‘Tenet’ Stumbles and ‘Wonder Woman 2’ Moves, Movie Theaters Brace for Rough Fall”. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/film/news/tenet-movie-theaters-coronavirus-no-time-to-die-1234771424/. 16 September, 2020. Accessed 27 September, 2020.
“Domestic Movie Theatrical Market Summary 1995-2020”. The Numbers. https://www.the-numbers.com/market/. Accessed 27 September, 2020.
Trenholm, Richard. “Coronavirus movie delays: New release dates for 2020 and 2021 blockbusters”. CNet. 24 September, 2020. https://www.cnet.com/news/coronavirus-movie-delays-2020-2021-blockbusters-new-release-dates/. Accessed 27 September, 2020
