Apple
's big movie plans haven't gone smoothly initially. The company spent hundreds of millions of dollars on films like "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Napoleon," but they didn't do well in theatres. At first, this looked like a failure.
However, Apple's focus on streaming might actually be working out. The New York Times says that when Apple put the movie "The Instigators," starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck , on Apple TV+, it added about 50,000 subscribers in its first week â more than the bump provided by the much costlier "Napoleon."
Now, the company plans to replicate this strategy for its upcoming release, "Wolfs," starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt .
Originally slated for a wide release, the film will now have only a limited one-week run in theatres before streaming on Apple TV+. This decision, while worrying some in Hollywood, seems to confirm Apple's new direction.
The company's entertainment programming chiefs, Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht , once criticised for their lack of theatrical experience, are now being praised for their forward-thinking approach. Their decision to focus on creating "event-size" films with limited theatrical releases has allowed Apple to maintain its reputation for quality while maximising the value of its streaming service.
By putting movies on Apple TV+ quickly, the company can get more streaming customers. This might be better than trying to compete with big movie studios in theatres. The New York Times notes that competitors are now scrambling to replicate Apple's model.
Apple isn't giving up on theatres completely. They still plan to release some big movies, like an upcoming film about Formula 1 racing starring Brad Pitt. But they're being more careful about which movies get big theatre releases.
As one unnamed executive told the New York Times, "Apple isn't just adapting to the future of entertainment â they're shaping it." Sources say that other studios are watching Apple closely. If the strategy works, they might try to replicate it.
However, Apple's focus on streaming might actually be working out. The New York Times says that when Apple put the movie "The Instigators," starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck , on Apple TV+, it added about 50,000 subscribers in its first week â more than the bump provided by the much costlier "Napoleon."
Now, the company plans to replicate this strategy for its upcoming release, "Wolfs," starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt .
The company's entertainment programming chiefs, Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht , once criticised for their lack of theatrical experience, are now being praised for their forward-thinking approach. Their decision to focus on creating "event-size" films with limited theatrical releases has allowed Apple to maintain its reputation for quality while maximising the value of its streaming service.
Apple isn't giving up on theatres completely. They still plan to release some big movies, like an upcoming film about Formula 1 racing starring Brad Pitt. But they're being more careful about which movies get big theatre releases.
As one unnamed executive told the New York Times, "Apple isn't just adapting to the future of entertainment â they're shaping it." Sources say that other studios are watching Apple closely. If the strategy works, they might try to replicate it.
