Director John Landis says streamers and the pandemic have put a monumental dent in the theatergoing experience.
With 50 years in the movie business, Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Trading Places director John Landis has plenty of experience to weigh in on the state of the industry. Now, he’s mourning the rise of streaming services, saying they’re to blame for some of the current problems.
Speaking with Deadline, John Landis said the moviegoing experience has been ruined by a one-two punch of the rise of streaming services and the impact of the pandemic, “The sentiment really is the sorrow for the pathetic state the business is in. You know, between streaming and the pandemic, it was like a stake through the heart. It really hurts the business and continues to do so. And there’s the strike now. The streamers really are the bad guys.”
And as the Writers Guild of America strike nears its second complete month, John Landis isn’t oblivious to numerous organizations sitting at the same table. “Do you know it’s the first time in Hollywood history that the Directors Guild, The Writers Guild and the IA are all united?…The film industry is in chaos and I hope the audience comes back to the theatres…Motion pictures are meant to be seen in a large house, cinema, a big theatre, on a big screen, with good sound and as many people as possible because it’s a communal experience.”
Of course, John Landis isn’t the only director with a mission of encouraging people to get back to the cinema. In 2020, as the pandemic was still raging, the likes of Christopher Nolan, James Cameron and more made a call to Congress to help save movie theaters. Still, the past few years have seen some incredible box office numbers, with 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick the #3 and #12 highest-grossing movies worldwide, while this year’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie in the top 20. Oh, and don’t forget to go see both Barbie and Oppenheimer when they open – you don’t want to let down Tom Cruise, do you?
Do you think John Landis has a case when he calls streaming services “bad guys” within the movie industry? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.