Piece by Eddie on 17/04/2028
Recently during his busy press and marketing campaign for his newest box office smash Project Hail Mary, Hollywood star Ryan Gosling made some remarks about the movie industry that have struck a chord with me, and I am sure many others.
Visiting a packed auditorium in a surprise appearance to welcome guests to the film they were about to see, Gosling made the following remarks.
“Six years ago, I got the manuscript,” Gosling said, referring to “Project Hail Mary.” “[It’s] the most ambitious thing I’ll ever make; it seemed impossible. It was too good not to give it a shot. Six years later, we did it. Here we are, we’re all back in theaters. It’s not your job to keep them open, it’s our job to make things that make it worth you coming out.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic shattered traditional cinemagoing and Hollywood filmmaking in general, the industry has been trying to understand the new normal as traditional cinema habits rapidly changed and the age of home streaming was ramped up to warp speed, never to be the same again.
As many around the world now struggle with a cost of living crisis, certainly something that is prevalent to many in my home country of Australia, things like going to the movies are no longer as affordable and common as they once were, as everyday punters try their best to keep their heads above water and prioritize what they have at home instead of the prospect of paying for cinema tickets, that have suffered like all commodities, major cost increases in a small amount of time.
Gosling however has shone the light on a whole different side to the equation that Hollywood often forgets, if you make it people will still come and rehashing, remaking and adapting isn’t solely what viewers want any more, with a desire to partake in original content and worthy content front of mind when they make informed decisions about how best to spend their hard earned money or gift their valuable time.
As people bemoan modern generations attention spans, an argument that needs far more debate with younger audiences on the up in the case of cinema admissions in many areas, ticket costs, lazy Hollywood filmmaking and the shortened cinematic window that supposedly makes people just wait the extra few weeks to watch films at home, the likes of Gosling’s Project Hail Mary showcases there’s still a willingness and a want for people to enjoy movies on the big screen the way in which many of them are intended to be seen, given the right motivations and incentives.
Prior to Project Hail Mary’s box office success around the globe there’s been recent features such as Oscar winners Sinners and Weapons, F1, Marty Supreme and Materialists, all original films that bucked the trend of reported box office failings of original I.P and the thing that stands out the most about these features is they harbor a certain quality and understanding about what type of films they are and what people want from them.
Comic book films, adaptations of high-profile property, animated movies, sequels and reboots will always be a dominate force in Hollywood but if we wanted to bring back concerns in the industry back to the basic level, it’s all about quality content.
Treat audiences with respect, give us films that deserve to be given our money and time and a large portion of problems real and perceived will be alleviated.
Give us something worthy and it will be thumbs up (or down) much like Gosling’s most recent project showcased.
Have your cinema habits changed over recent times? What makes you not want to go or go to the movies? Let me know in the comments below!
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
Ryan Gosling’s humble attitude and lack of entitlement was indeed very refreshing. As viewers we don’t owe it to Hollywood to support what is increasingly becoming a luxury experience, especially for a family with children. I’m going to see Project Hail Mary at the IMAX for a second time, but I can’t think of many recent movies that instantly made me want to see them again on the big screen, or at all.
I am the same as you! I know a lot of people now that just don’t go because it’s become far more of a luxury plus there’s been a lot that just don’t rate much of the product.
But the feedback I’ve had from people around PHM has been really refreshing and shows to me people still value going to the movies when the value proposition is good!
E
Hi Eddie,
Here in France, cinema attendance figures also plummeted after COVID, but have since rebounded significantly. However, France is somewhat of an exception in Europe. We are the biggest consumers of cinema, and the selection of French films is substantial. Comedies generally do very well, as do some blockbusters like Monte Cristo. But it’s the Hollywood films that draw the biggest crowds.
Last year, “Zootopia 2” and “Avatar 3” salvaged an otherwise less successful year. We’re still waiting to see pre-COVID figures return, but it seems unlikely now that Netflix and other streaming services have become so prevalent. People aren’t going out anymore, and not just to the cinema. All cultural activities are affected: theater, concerts, exhibitions, museums, etc.
Me, I obviously still go to the cinema. And I still buy Blu-rays, but I’m kind of a film buff alien. A special case. It reminds me that I still haven’t seen Project Hail Mary 😉, which is apparently a huge hit in France.
I always think it’s interesting with ‘people aren’t going out anymore’ – the same as when the music industry started saying people only wanted singles, rather than albums, because the music producers didn’t want to spend the money.
I think audiences will still go to things, if they create interesting films and most people don’t read reviews like those of us who do, or who keep up to date with film releases, and many will just go on the main star pull, or something that seems entertaining, or accessible – Tom Cruise, etc, know how that works big time.
I also wonder if it’s a generational thing though, as if you’re more likely to go to the cinema in your younger years but as you get older (and I’m talking about myself here as well) you’re less likely to because of other life stuff.
It’s an interesting discussion though!
That’s an excellent question indeed. Given the cost of going out, we might wonder if a family will be willing to spend a significant amount of money to satisfy their family’s desire for a film. This is an issue that only affects a portion of the public.
France can also still rely on a culture of cinema-going to consume films, particularly among older and urban audiences who are more inclined towards independent films.
I did hear that places like Paris do show a lot of classic films regularly, a bit like NYC as well, although I’m in the UK – do French cinemas everywhere show classic films all the time?
Yes they do. In France, there’s a policy of distributing independent films known as “Art et Essais” (Art and Experimental). I live in a small town far from Paris, and the local cinema shows some of these films, but on a delayed release date. To see retrospectives of older films, you’re better off going to larger cities. The most extensive selection is, of course, in Paris, particularly at the Cinémathèque Française.
Love this, thank you!
In Aus in places like Melbourne, a lot of the bigger indie cinemas are really thriving with a diverse range of films and also events like monthly The Room screenings etc.
E
I certainly feel like with my friendship group post-Covid it’s been a lot harder to get people to commit to things and to just get them out of the house for casual experiences like going to the movies.
I don’t think the cost of living can be underestimated though, most cinemas here in AUS a ticket to a movie is usually well over $20 dollars now which adds up for most people.
E
Thanks so much for sharing your insights Prince. I think you’d really love the cinema experience that is Hail Mary. It’s made such a mark worldwide, been great to see people enjoying on a large-scale.
E
I think, like Christopher Nolan says as well, audiences can be trusted a lot more than producers continue to assume – yes, they do like big sequels to fan favourites but endless follow-ups do lose mass appeal and even more so, now we can stream pretty closely to release.
I saw PHM in IMAX, phenomenal that way!
I would have loved to see PHM in IMAX, I didn’t get the chance this time around, saving my IMAX trips for Odyssey and Dune 3!
Nolan is right though, Oppenheimer showed as much, I knew so many people that just really took to that film that I am sure Hollywood producers wouldn’t have expected.
E
yeah, so many times audiences actually want to be tested, or see new things!
Agreed mate. I think even this year with PHM and even something like The Drama, it shows that audiences are keen to invest their time into original pieces or films that try and do things a little out of the ordinary.
E