Why Most Studios Won’t Release Movies Around 2024 Election
By Movieguide® Contributor
There will only be a few movies released the weekend after November’s elections.
“The first and second weekends of November have become fertile ground in terms of launching a movie before the year-end holiday glut begins,” The Hollywood Reporter said on Sep. 6. “But the noise from this year’s Kamala Harris-Donald Trump race is expected to be so loud that distributors are staying on the sidelines when it comes to tentpoles.”
“That noise could make it tough to promote a film opening during the Nov. 8-10 weekend, since the airwaves will be flooded with political ads in the preceding weeks. Sources also tell The Hollywood Reporter that ad rates are expected to be inflated by 30 percent to 40 percent because of the presidential showdown. A studio prepared to shell out $20 million or $30 million on TV media would suddenly be looking at $28 million to $40 million, for example.”
With the Capitol building incident in Jan. 2021, civil unrest is also a key concern.
“Notably, 2024 seems different and given the incredibly high stakes and high-profile nature of this year’s presidential contest, it looks like the major studios are erring on the side of caution rather than risking the oxygen-sucking dominance of what is likely to be the most intense post-election weekend in modern history,” said Comscore chief box office analyst Paul Dergerabedian. “Waiting to see if politically distracted news cycle obsessed moviegoers will vote with their absence at the multiplex over this specific November weekend is a box office gamble most are not willing to take this year.”
The weekend following elections has often been a successful week for movies. But the political climate has changed.
To name a few of the previous successes, THR said, “In 2012, Daniel Craig’s SKYFALL opened to a franchise-best $88.4 million domestically the weekend following Barak Obama’s election to a second term. Nor did the Donald Trump-Hilary Clinton contest four years make studios skittish; ARRIVAL opened to a solid $24 million over the weekend following Trump’s win, while Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANAGE and DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS grossed $43 million and $35 million in their sophomore outings, respectively, after opening a weekend before the election.”
Only a few movies will launch in the Nov. 8 weekend. The Dallas Jenkins-directed family film THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGAENT EVER and OVERLORD: THE SACRED KINGDOM, an anime movie, will come out Nov. 8.
Movieguide® reported on THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER:
“The story I’ve been wanting to tell and the movie I’ve been wanting to make for over 15 years is finally on the way,” Jenkins posted on Instagram, along with the movie’s trailer. “You won’t be able to see it until November 8 (in theaters nationwide!), but let’s do a little Christmas in July with the first teaser trailer…”
“I’m so proud of the cast in this film. The legendary Judy Greer, comic Pete Holmes, and Lauren Graham (GILMORE GIRLS and PARENTHOOD, anyone?) are so charming and funny and emotive, and the kids we found are a revelation. And yes, you’ll find some of our CHOSEN favorites as well,” Jenkins concluded. “From my heart to yours…”
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE was previously all set to release Nov. 8, too, but recently got moved to Oct. 25, per MovieWeb.
Comic Book Resources added, “Films like Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR 2, MOANA 2, and WICKED have all been slated to release in the last two weeks of November. December will bring a greater number of exciting releases such as KRAVEN THE HUNTER, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3, MUFASA: THE LION KING, and Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU remake with Willem Dafoe, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, and more.”
