Speaking at the opening of the Interactive Media Building at the USC School of Cinematic Arts on Wednesday, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg predicted a major paradigm shift in the film industry, saying that the industry is in the middle of serious and dangerous transition.
From the Hollywood Reporter:
Steven Spielberg on Wednesday predicted an "implosion" in the film industry is inevitable, whereby a half dozen or so $250 million movies flop at the box office and alter the industry forever. What comes next -- or even before then -- will be price variances at movie theaters, where "you're gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you're probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln." He also said that Lincoln came "this close" to being an HBO movie instead of a theatrical release.
"That's the big danger, and there's eventually going to be an implosion — or a big meltdown. There's going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that's going to change the paradigm," he said.
Speilberg was joined by George Lucas, who echoed his comments: "I think eventually the 'Lincolns' will go away and they're going to be on television," he said.
Spielberg revealed that "Lincoln" was, in fact, almost a TV movie: "This close -- ask HBO -- this close," he said.
"The pathway to get into theaters is really getting smaller and smaller," Lucas said.
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