Talking blockbusters in Barcelona
This week we’re on the ground at CineEurope in Barcelona, sampling the morsels of cinematic goodness the entertainment industry will soon be offering up.
Each day we’ll be delivering the need-to-know details, so be sure to keep tabs on our CineEurope: Round Up blogs.
Day 1 | Monday 17th
Warner Bros. Teases Horror & Heroes
Having had a stellar 2018 with their best-ever box office record, our client Warner Bros. came out swinging with a look at their slate of heavy-hitters.
Horror titles Annabelle Comes Home and Doctor Sleep – a sequel to The Shining – got tongues wagging and knees quaking, but it was the formidable and familiar foe of Pennywise that caught our eye. We’ve taken on the shape-shifter before, so it was thrilling to see more with a look at IT: Chapter 2.
Warner Bros. also put their best foot forward with some exciting DC projects – such as the follow up to one of our favourites, Wonder Woman 1984. Other creations from the DC Universe include Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, and Harley Quinn tale, Birds of Prey.
Amidst these titles, other stand-outs included Bruce Springsteen-infused comedy, Blinded By The Light, an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches and Christopher Nolan’s espionage epic, Tenet.
StudioCanal Is Out to Play
StudioCanal delivered a slate of much-anticipated family titles, with attendees bleating with joy at Farmaggedon – a sequel to the beloved 2015 title, Shaun The Sheep.
With the rollicking success of the LEGO Movie franchise, StudioCanal are following in Warner Bros.’ footsteps with Playmobile: The Movie, with an ensemble cast including Daniel Radcliffe, Anna Taylor-Jo, Meghan Trainor, Jim Gaffigan and Adam Lambert.
But not everything was child’s play, as StudioCanal’s other notable titles included Marie Curie biopic, Radioactive, female-led assassin movie, Gunpowder Milkshake and Apocalypse Now: Final Cut – which received rave reviews.
Execs On The Future
A panel of international studio and exhibition executives talked openly and optimistically about the future of theatrical, and its place alongside streaming services. Notably, in 2018, frequent cinema-goers also heavily consumed streamed content. Conversely, 48% who never streamed content across the year weren’t seeing films in theatres either.
2018 also saw a 50-year high in ticket sales, prompting speakers to declare that subscription services are not a silver bullet and that despite wall-to-wall streaming available, film-lovers will always find solace in the cinema.
“People who bought and rented VHS went to see movies the most, same with DVDs. People who like movies, like movies in all formats. People who love and watch Netflix, love and watch movies in our cinemas.”
Tim Richards, VUE International CEO & Founder
Be sure to check back tomorrow for more from CineEurope.
