Marvel Cinematic Universe, Phase Three and BEYOOOOONND

[Spence]

Yep, I still want to see it. 

But it will be like Godzilla vs Kong, a long time after release. 

 

I bet this will impact the box office/streaming take. 

[Ternaugh]

2 hours ago, Spence said:

 

I know, I am not disputing that at all.  It is just they are insane if they think I am going to pay literally double what it would cost me to go to a theater to watch it at home. 

$7.99 + $29.99 = $37.98

That is literally the definition of insanity.

I don’t think you’re the target audience for the streaming option*. I have always assumed that it’s aimed at families who already subscribe to Disney+. The math works a lot better for a family of 4 or more, and does include repeat viewings.

 

 

*I’m not either, as I live alone.

[zslane]

Ternaugh is absolutely correct. We single folks are not expected to get the same value from the PVOD price as a family, or even a couple. As usual, those of us who do participate subsidize all the families out there (just like with health insurance and other financial programs with society-wide reach).

[Christopher R Taylor]

I'm willing to wait until the movie goes on to regular streaming and does not have that huge initial cost

[unclevlad]

Also remember that at home, you're not paying captive-audience prices for any "food" or beverage you choose to enjoy.  Granted:  hitting theater concessions is a guaranteed ripoff.  But yeah, as Ternaugh points out, we're not the target.  Dad, mom, 2 kids...big movies don't give that much of a price break on tickets any more.  With concessions...something like $60 wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

Could be worse.  Lived in LA as a kid;  we took in a few Dodger games, a couple Laker games.  Found an article on Money Inc;  for a family of 4, expect to be set back close to $400.  And the article is 3 years old.  Laker games are worse because there's little to no chance you can get moderately good seats at regular prices...it'd have to be thru a reseller, and that will set you WAY back.  Granted, the Lakers are a poor example as their costs to attend are very nearly the highest in the NBA.  But NO NBA team's games are cheap to watch.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Concessions are where theaters make their money, so they charge as much as possible.  So you pay 8 bucks for 10 cents of fountain drink or 5 cents of popcorn.

 

Here's how it used to work, I assume it still does.  Theaters get almost no money from the first week of a release -- the most lucrative period.  Each week the movie stays in a theater, the theater owner gets a bigger cut of the box office.  Thus, Theaters really like blockbusters that linger, and studios prefer blockbusters that taper off after a week or two.  

 

However, recently, a court decision reversed a ruling that said movie studios could not own local theaters (they used to, back in the day.  You'd have an MGM theater that only showed MGM movies in a town, for example).  That dynamic could make a pretty big difference in the future.

[Bazza]

LOKI EPISODE 5: INFINITY STONES THEORY MAY REVEAL THE ENDING

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/loki-episode-5-infinity-stones-theory-may-reveal-ending/amp

[dmjalund]

2 hours ago, Bazza said:

LOKI EPISODE 5: INFINITY STONES THEORY MAY REVEAL THE ENDING

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/loki-episode-5-infinity-stones-theory-may-reveal-ending/amp

I believe Green was the theme for episode 5 - so since they are at the end of time, the Time-shone was referenced

 

so how would the finale represent the space stone?

[Spence]

18 hours ago, Ternaugh said:

I don’t think you’re the target audience for the streaming option*. I have always assumed that it’s aimed at families who already subscribe to Disney+. The math works a lot better for a family of 4 or more, and does include repeat viewings.

 

 

*I’m not either, as I live alone.

 

Unfortunately we are slowly (year by year) slipping out of the target audience for most everything....

 

 

8 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

I'm willing to wait until the movie goes on to regular streaming and does not have that huge initial cost

 

Ditto

 

7 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

Concessions are where theaters make their money, so they charge as much as possible.  So you pay 8 bucks for 10 cents of fountain drink or 5 cents of popcorn.

 

Here's how it used to work, I assume it still does.  Theaters get almost no money from the first week of a release -- the most lucrative period.  Each week the movie stays in a theater, the theater owner gets a bigger cut of the box office.  Thus, Theaters really like blockbusters that linger, and studios prefer blockbusters that taper off after a week or two.  

 

However, recently, a court decision reversed a ruling that said movie studios could not own local theaters (they used to, back in the day.  You'd have an MGM theater that only showed MGM movies in a town, for example).  That dynamic could make a pretty big difference in the future.

 

I don't generally eat that much and to be truthful never really cared about the cost inside the theater.  I used to think it was fine since I didn't go that often and then discovered the "21+ because they serve alcohol theaters".     At that point it became an enjoyable experience again.  Not because of the booze, but because the audience was mature enough to shut up while the movie was playing.    But that has been destroyed because the birth control failure crowd decided they wanted to destroy one of the last bastions of adult enjoyment and sued so they could bring their undisciplined and out of control brats. 

 

7 hours ago, unclevlad said:

Also remember that at home, you're not paying captive-audience prices for any "food" or beverage you choose to enjoy.  Granted:  hitting theater concessions is a guaranteed ripoff.  But yeah, as Ternaugh points out, we're not the target.  Dad, mom, 2 kids...big movies don't give that much of a price break on tickets any more.  With concessions...something like $60 wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

Could be worse.  Lived in LA as a kid;  we took in a few Dodger games, a couple Laker games.  Found an article on Money Inc;  for a family of 4, expect to be set back close to $400.  And the article is 3 years old.  Laker games are worse because there's little to no chance you can get moderately good seats at regular prices...it'd have to be thru a reseller, and that will set you WAY back.  Granted, the Lakers are a poor example as their costs to attend are very nearly the highest in the NBA.  But NO NBA team's games are cheap to watch.

 

I've had season tickets to the Sounders since their inaugural season.  I don't usually eat in the stadium, just a beer or two.  We usually eat at one of the local restaurants before or after depending on what time the game is.  But the cost of tickets is far less than NFL or NBA.  I have no idea about MLB. 

[Bazza]

7 hours ago, dmjalund said:

I believe Green was the theme for episode 5 - so since they are at the end of time, the Time-shone was referenced

 

so how would the finale represent the space stone?

 

From memory, the article said it was blue. void = space. 

[dmjalund]

Just now, Bazza said:

 

From memory, the article said it was blue. void = space. 

The article pre-dated episode 5. It was guessing. I'm saying it was wrong

[Bazza]

Fair enough. 

[Lord Liaden]

16 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

Concessions are where theaters make their money, so they charge as much as possible.  So you pay 8 bucks for 10 cents of fountain drink or 5 cents of popcorn.

 

 I don't buy concessions at the theater, but I always check the aisles in the audience seating after they've been abandoned at the end of a movie. There's almost always leftover popcorn.

 

Of course that was pre-COVID, but I am fully immunized now.

[Bazza]

Fully immunised against popcorn. 

[Bazza]

 

[Hugh Neilson]

Those of us who are patient and will watch it later, in a less expensive format, are a target market for:

 

 - the discount theatres running blockbusters only after they run their course in the larger theatres;

 - lower-cost streaming options which will have the movie after it has run its "must see it opening night/week" course; and

 - lower-cost DVD options once the "must own it on release day" crowd has paid a premium price.

 

If it never makes it to those formats, we'll watch something else.

 

Economics tells us "charge what the market will bear".  Reducing the price for later viewing because the business can still make some more bucks after those prepared to pay a premium price for earlier viewing is good business sense.

 

Even if you have a family of four, you can watch something else today and stream Black Widow in 6 - 9 months at a lower cost, eating home-popped popcorn on both occasions.

 

My wife and son want to go see it next week (on the 2-week anniversary of vaccine dose #2) in the nearby theatre which was within a month of opening when the pandemic closed everything down.  That theatre intends to run some screenings of its movies with social distancing.  It will be interesting to see which model, if either, commands a premium price.  We streamed WW II on Boxing Day (we traditionally go to the movies on Boxing Day).  I doubt the movie cost was markedly different from three moviegoers at the theatre, but the popcorn and beverages were a lot cheaper, and pausing for a restroom break was an option.  Come to think of it, parking and getting back home after the movie were also a lot easier...although this theatre is in walking distance, and a nice walk in July would be nice.

[Ternaugh]

17 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Those of us who are patient and will watch it later, in a less expensive format, are a target market for:

 

 - the discount theatres running blockbusters only after they run their course in the larger theatres;

 - lower-cost streaming options which will have the movie after it has run its "must see it opening night/week" course; and

 - lower-cost DVD options once the "must own it on release day" crowd has paid a premium price.

 

If it never makes it to those formats, we'll watch something else.

 

Economics tells us "charge what the market will bear".  Reducing the price for later viewing because the business can still make some more bucks after those prepared to pay a premium price for earlier viewing is good business sense.

 

Even if you have a family of four, you can watch something else today and stream Black Widow in 6 - 9 months at a lower cost, eating home-popped popcorn on both occasions.

 

My wife and son want to go see it next week (on the 2-week anniversary of vaccine dose #2) in the nearby theatre which was within a month of opening when the pandemic closed everything down.  That theatre intends to run some screenings of its movies with social distancing.  It will be interesting to see which model, if either, commands a premium price.  We streamed WW II on Boxing Day (we traditionally go to the movies on Boxing Day).  I doubt the movie cost was markedly different from three moviegoers at the theatre, but the popcorn and beverages were a lot cheaper, and pausing for a restroom break was an option.  Come to think of it, parking and getting back home after the movie were also a lot easier...although this theatre is in walking distance, and a nice walk in July would be nice.

 

It usually takes a few months for the Premiere Access movies to become part of the standard Disney+ service, usually about the same time that the pay-per-view streaming sites get it. For Black Widow, that would probably be some time in October. The Blu-ray will probably be released in November.

[zslane]

Disney works very hard to make all their Marvel stuff "must watch now" type content. They heavily promote the notion that their movies and streaming shows are cultural events. You don't want to be left out of the national conversation about what's going on in pop culture right? That's why their streaming shows are released one episode per week, and why nearly every Marvel movie is designed to set up the next one in the series. They want everyone feeling like they have to see this stuff at release for fear of spoilers and basic FOMO. This strategy seems to work very well on most fans under the age of 50.

[Spence]

14 minutes ago, zslane said:

This strategy seems to work very well on most fans under the age of 50.

 

Is it really?  Or is it more that they are telling everyone.  Most of my gamer friends are younger than me and all about the hype'verse.  And the last thing they were going on about was Mandalorion (?).

 

Now if they make a comment about Marvel or comics in general it is not good.  I'm getting my good tips on anime and manga from them these days since they seem to all have turned sharply away from the last few Marvel and DC offerings.

[Greywind]

DVD release is expected in Oct/Nov.

[Bazza]

Assuming it ever will be released on home media. 

[Grailknight]

1 hour ago, Bazza said:

Assuming it ever will be released on home media. 

 

Disney pass up money? That won't happen unless we experiencing apocalyptic global upheaval.

[Matt the Bruins]

They're already planning for that future eventuality by starring raccoons in their movies.

 

I saw the movie at the theater this afternoon. It was an enjoyable enough way to spend a couple of hours, but if I hadn't had a gift card that had been sitting on the shelf unused for more than a year, I'd have been happy to wait until it was streaming for no additional cost.

[Starlord]

Watched all of Loki, I thought it was pretty good...big master villain reveal at the end.

Spoiler

Kang, I presume?

 

[Bazza]

Spoiler

I’m thinking not. Same actor yes. But I think He Who Remains is a different character to Kang who will be properly introduced in Ant-Man 3.