As a film enthusiast with over three decades of movie-going experience under my belt, I must admit that the 2024 presidential election seems to be casting a long shadow over Hollywood’s release schedule. It’s not every day we see the major studios playing it safe and avoiding the usual blockbuster tradition on election weekend.
In the year 2024, the presidential election between candidates A and B will take place on November 5th. Given the significance of this event and the expected surge of political advertisements filling our screens and social media feeds, Hollywood is being cautious and choosing not to release many movies around that time. Typically, the first two weekends of November have been prime for big-budget films like Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” in 2021, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in 2022, and “The Marvels” in 2023. However, this year, most studios plan to abstain from releasing films during that particular week.
Based on information from The Hollywood Reporter, all major film studios are choosing not to release movies during the weekends immediately preceding and following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. A significant distributor stated that while elections have never directly affected box office sales before, this situation is unprecedented, describing it as potentially chaotic. The financial aspect involves increased advertising rates, estimated to rise by up to 40 percent due to the upcoming presidential debate. Additionally, there’s a concern about audiences preferring to stay engaged in the political process rather than going to the cinema during such a critical moment in American politics. Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s chief box office analyst, suggested that given the high-stakes and high-profile nature of the 2024 election, studios are exercising caution because the post-election weekend could be an extremely tense time for the country, potentially overshadowing a movie release.
2024 appears unusual, especially considering the significant importance and high-profile nature of this year’s presidential election. Given that it could be one of the most intense post-election weekends in recent history, major film studios seem more cautious, preferring not to compete with the overwhelming attention this election is likely to receive. They are hesitant to release films during this specific November weekend, fearing that politically preoccupied moviegoers might stay away from the cinemas due to their interest in the election. This is a risky move at the box office that few are willing to take this year.
There are Still Some November Film Offerings
In the first fortnight of November, there aren’t many major film releases scheduled. Only Robert Zemeckis’ movie “Here” is planned for a wide release on November 1, just four days before the election. This film reunites him with actors Tom Hanks and Robin Wright from “Forrest Gump”. The intriguing aspect of this movie lies in its fixed camera perspective, as it focuses on the happenings of a specific plot of land and its inhabitants. Other potential award contenders like “Conclave”, “Emilia Pérez”, “A Real Pain”, and “Blitz” will have limited releases. During the election week, only Lionsgate’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is set to open wide. However, given Lionsgate’s recent history with movies such as “Borderlands”, “The Crow”, and the troubled release of “Megalopolis”, the prospects aren’t particularly promising.
The upcoming 2024 presidential election is shaping up to influence the release dates of several major films. For instance, “Venom: The Last Dance” was initially scheduled for release on November 8, 2024, but has been moved forward to October 25th to dodge a potential conflict and maximize its box office earnings. Interestingly, “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” set to premiere the week following the election, are expected to compete for audiences as neither seems keen on taking advantage of the free November 8th slot. Lastly, “Moana 2” will debut over Thanksgiving weekend, a fitting choice given that the original “Moana” was one of the first significant films released post-2016 presidential election. Notably, this will mark the second time a “Moana” film has been released during a Trump campaign, sparking anticipation for a different outcome in 2024.
This upcoming election appears to have a significant influence on the entertainment industry, as studios are showing unusual caution compared to previous presidential elections. Historically, election seasons haven’t significantly impacted box office numbers. For instance, in 2016, “Arrival” opened three days after the election and earned an impressive $24 million opening weekend, while “Doctor Strange” and “Trolls,” which opened a week prior, were likely the last movies many people saw before Trump’s victory. Similarly, “Wreck-It-Ralph” opened five days before the 2012 election, and “Skyfall,” which followed shortly after, had the biggest opening in the Bond franchise’s history with $88 million. In 2008, “Role Models” and “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” saw impressive numbers, as did “The Incredibles” in 2004, which opened in theaters and grossed $70.7 million, becoming the second-highest-grossing opening weekend for an animated movie at the time. However, this year it seems that attention will be focused more on the election results and their aftermath rather than on the movies being released.
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2024-09-06 23:32