EXCLUSIVE: The American American exhibitor Cinemark will not play Raya and the last dragon this coming weekend, as Disney makes the title available both in theaters and as a $ 30 purchase at Disney + on March 5th. While the large studios experimented widely with theater windows during the pandemic, Raya is a clear case that not all exhibitors will just swallow whatever is thrown at them.
I hear that Cinemark is not the only exhibitor not discussing the Don Hall-Carlos Lopez Estrada-focused function. Harkins and Cineplex in Canada do not play Raya or. Note that sometimes these negotiations can sometimes come down to the thread and titles may appear at parties.
Cinemark
So, wait, what happened here? How can an exhibitor be cool with Warner Bros.? ‘s day-to-day theater HBO Max titles, and not a Disney + PVOD title? In essence, I hear from sources that Disney has remained quite a bit for Raya. If exhibition does not like the conditions, then they do not have to play the film. On the other hand, I hear that Warners on their recent HBO Max titles, i.e. Wonder Woman 1984, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Little Things and Tom & Jerry their rental terms have decreased, which is why more exhibitors have applied for the titles.
Related story
Composer James Newton Howard On Penning ‘News Of The World’s “Broken” Western Score And Returns To Disney Animation With “Raya And The Last Dragon”
In their note for curtain raising, Disney reported this Raya play this Friday in 2000+ theaters, including 200 IMAX screens, 360 Premium large-format screens, 160 3D locations and 45 D-Box / 4D screens. The opening for Raya and the last dragon is in the range of $ 6 million to $ 7 million + per industry. Although NYC reopens with 25% capacity auditorium restrictions, Cinemark has no cinemas in the five communities. Raya will face Lionsgate’s YA sci-fi Tom Holland-Daisy Ridley movie Chaos Step this weekend as well as the second weekend of Warner Tom & Jerry.
A Cinemark representative told Deadline tonight: ‘In the current operating environment, we make short-term discussion decisions on a discrete film-by-film basis and focus on the long-term benefit of exhibitors, studios and moviegoers. While talking to The Walt Disney Company, we have not yet reached pleasant license terms for Raya and the last dragon. As we continue to work with our studio partners, we remain optimistic that we will achieve mutual benefits that give moviegoers the opportunity to see the exciting film series in our theaters. ”
Deadline reaches Disney. We will let you know if they comment.