The trajectory of the world cinema industry questions many spectators as well as many professionals in the field. Few years ago, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had predicted the end of the cinema by assuring that the price for a film would soon become as expensive as going to see a play (We are already seeing this with the price of a ticket for an IMAX or ICE theater). Others, like Martin Scorscese and Denis Villeneuve, tackle violently Marvel and superhero movies by blaming them for taking too much media space from small films while being here for fun rather than culture per se.
The double Oscar-winning actor-director for Argo and Good Will Hunting entrusted toEntertainment Weekly be pessimistic about the future of cinema. Ben Affleck was questioned by his colleague and friend Matt damon on his recent failures (The Way Back, directed by Gavin O’Connor, and The Last Duel, realized by Ridley Scott and co-scripted by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon).
“’The Last Duel’ was a trigger for me. I’ve made bad movies that didn’t work and I don’t care. I understand why people haven’t gone to see them — because they’re bad. But I like what we did [avec ‘Le Dernier Duel‘]. I like the post. I am very proud of it. So I was very disturbed. But then I saw that the movie had worked on streaming and I was like, ‘OK, so that’s where the audience is.’ “
This failure made him confirm, it seems, that the future of cinema will no longer be played out in theaters but on the various streaming platforms:
“I bet a drama like ‘Argo’ wouldn’t hit theaters today. And yet, that was not so long ago. It would be a series. I think the films will become more and more expensive because it will be events. They will be especially for the youngest who will say to themselves: ‘I really love Marvel, I can’t wait to see the sequel.’ And there will only be about forty films that will be released in theaters each year, especially franchises, sequels, animated films. “
And you, do you agree with Ben Affleck’s words?