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$0After bypassing a theatrical release, which upset a number of fans, the long awaited sequel Hocus Pocus 2 becomes the biggest debut for the streaming platform Disney+ to date.
The movie which is a follow up to the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus was released onto the platform on Friday 30th September and heads up their Halloween season.
The movie stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker who all reprise their roles as the Sanderson Sisters, a trio of witches who crave for the souls of children.
The original movie was not a hit on its release but has over the last 30 years become a massive hit raking up views over the October Halloween season each year.
It's a shame than the movie never got a theatrical release as cinemas are struggling for big hits at the moment as there has not been an event movie released in a long time, this would have had a £3 - £5 Million debut easily.
Disney seems intent on pushing its streaming service which new movies like this and its 150 Million + subscribers makes it one of the largest streaming platforms.
Thank you to the magical Hocus Pocus community for making #HocusPocus2 the #1 film premiere on #DisneyPlus to date! pic.twitter.com/mGRbScYHzf
— Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) October 4, 2022
In a bid to promote its new streaming platform Paramount+ the studio today has announced that selected movies will be put exclusively on the platform between 30 and 45 days after release.
The new streaming platform is the latest home video on demand service to be launched alongside the likes of Disney+ from Disney which includes the likes of Pixar, Star Wars and marvel Cinematic Universe and HBO Max which is owned by Warner Bros.
During the last 12 months Disney and Warner Bros. have used their platforms to launch their titles that have had long delays, like Disney's Mulan, although often they have also given them a theatrical release in cities and countries where they are open, HBO Max has done it at no extra charge, Disney have charged a premium on top of the monthly fee.
During a press conference today (February 24th 2021) ViacomCBS chief Bob Bakish, who own Paramount and Universal studios laid out the plans for the new service which will take over from CBS All Access and their other streaming platforms.
The upcoming Mission:Impossible 7 and A Quiet Place Part II, both of which have suffered delayed releases because of the pandemic, are two title the CEO named which will be on the platform 45 days after an exclusive theatrical window.
Universal were the company last year that upset the cinema chains in the US when they announced they would shorted the exclusive window from 90 days to 30 days, and in a controversial move they put Trolls World Tour directly to video on demand (VOD).
Cinemas in the UK are going to open on or around May 17th and in the US cinemas are opening in different states as and when they can, the industry needs a hit movie in order to get people back into cinemas.
In China last weekend the movie Detective Cinamtown 3 was released which took over $300 Million on its opening weekend and to date has taken over $600 Million, challenging Avengers: Engame as the top grossing movie of all time.
China seems to cherish its industry and is doing all it can to make it thrive, so why is the same not happening in Europe and America?
Warner Bros. have announced that the much anticipated Zack Snyder version of the DC universe Justice League will get a release on HBO Max in 2021.
It has become movie folk law that the version of Justice League that was released in 2017 was directed by Zack Snyder but due to personal reason he left the project before reshoots and editing and Joss Wehdon finished the movie.
When released the film was met with muted reviews, with some fans even hating the movie.
Since then there has been first rumours then evidence, then sort of confirmation that a version of the movie exists that was finished by Snyder himself.
A social media campaign has been going since to #releasethesnydercut appearing in the trending box on twitter on regular occations.
HBO Max is a new streaming service coming on May 27th, and here we are a week before the launch and Warner Bros. announces the almost legendary film will show on the service in 2021.
The news was given during an on-line participation by Snyder on Man Of Steel and it was received with massive appreciation from fans.
This is an interesting move and perhaps not a good one, with cinemas across the globe closed and wondering if they will ever recover this could have been a nice shot in the arm the industry may need.
Instead it will go to the platform which is in the short term going to damage the cinema industry, I hope we never get to a point when we don't have movie theatres to go to.