Halloween Kills | October 15, 2021 | Uni/Blumhouse | Releases day-and-date in theaters and Peacock | 35% on RT

[lorddemaxus]

2 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Yeah... this isn't a reaction to reviews:

 

 

 

I was already thinking that it was exceedingly unlikely that this was in reaction to reviews once the JLC promo dropped as there is no way in heaven that would have been negotiated and shot in such a short amount of time.

 

VA's comment here makes it look like Universal has been trying this with most of its big movies this year, and Halloween Kills is the first one they were able to successfully negotiate a deal with.  Well, aside from Boss Baby 2. 

 

As to why?  Trying to prop up Peacock is as good a guess as any, I reckon.  Pissing off a large segment of the fanbase probs isn't a great way to go about it tho.

Actually, the only other Universal film mentioned there is Candyman (AQP2 is Paramount), which I think was also Blumhouse? And the Exorcism reboot/sequel trilogy is also Blumhouse going straight to Peacock. Is Universal about to turn Blumhouse into a streaming studio?

[Porthos]

5 minutes ago, lorddemaxus said:

Actually, the only other Universal film mentioned there is Candyman (AQP2 is Paramount), which I think was also Blumhouse? And the Exorcism reboot/sequel trilogy is also Blumhouse going straight to Peacock.

 

Was already corrected on AQP II in the numbers thread, but noted. 

 

 

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

My mom has cable and it comes with Peacock Premium, I wonder how many of the Premium subscribers are like that. It has ads you still get the exclusive content. 

 

Halloween Kills would've done fine in theaters so this is definitely about propping up their streaming service. I think HK was always going to worse than the 2018 version even without day and date.

[Ronin46]

6 minutes ago, lorddemaxus said:

Actually, the only other Universal film mentioned there is Candyman (AQP2 is Paramount), which I think was also Blumhouse? And the Exorcism reboot/sequel trilogy is also Blumhouse going straight to Peacock. Is Universal about to turn Blumhouse into a streaming studio?

 

Seems weird. Low budget, profitable, can film in small spaces (like 1 house) and dont need sprawling areas and huge casts so not as much of a covid risk as other types of movies. Performing well and sequels also and pretty much immune to bad reviews screwing up box office.

[Porthos]

3 minutes ago, Ronin46 said:

 

Seems weird. Low budget, profitable, can film in small spaces (like 1 house) and dont need sprawling areas and huge casts so not as much of a covid risk as other types of movies. Performing well and sequels also and pretty much immune to bad reviews screwing up box office.

 

Or, to put it another way, "a small loyal base who will (nearly) always watch something that isn't expensive to make" is prime material to try to lock into a streaming service.  Low cost + Eyeballs = Something execs at streaming services crave.

 

Is it cutting off a revenue stream? Of course it is.  But even the big boys like Disney* are showing that they don't mind short term reduction in revenue if it means more eyeballs on their service. 

 

Not a bet I'd personally make.  But, well, it also ain't exactly a surprising one.

 

* Here, I'm speaking of Disney's utter refusal to release any of their original programming TV series on physical media**.

** Yes, I never will stop griping about this.  

[Eric S'ennui]

46 minutes ago, lorddemaxus said:

Actually, the only other Universal film mentioned there is Candyman (AQP2 is Paramount), which I think was also Blumhouse? And the Exorcism reboot/sequel trilogy is also Blumhouse going straight to Peacock. Is Universal about to turn Blumhouse into a streaming studio?

Well I mean...Blumhouse is already a streaming studio.

39 minutes ago, BoxOfficeFangrl said:

My mom has cable and it comes with Peacock Premium, I wonder how many of the Premium subscribers are like that. It has ads you still get the exclusive content. 

 

Halloween Kills would've done fine in theaters so this is definitely about propping up their streaming service. I think HK was always going to worse than the 2018 version even without day and date.

My folks and I get Peacock Premium too through their cable, though honestly their Premium selection is pretty much worthless. Unless you're a WWE fan, who's gonna pay the extra $5 to watch Knocked Up or Good Times?

[SnokesLegs]

1 hour ago, Porthos said:

Yeah... this isn't a reaction to reviews:

 

 

 

I was already thinking that it was exceedingly unlikely that this was in reaction to reviews once the JLC promo dropped as there is no way in heaven that would have been negotiated and shot in such a short amount of time.

 

VA's comment here makes it look like Universal has been trying this with most of its big movies this year, and Halloween Kills is the first one they were able to successfully negotiate a deal with.  Well, aside from Boss Baby 2. 

 

As to why?  Trying to prop up Peacock is as good a guess as any, I reckon.  Pissing off a large segment of the fanbase probs isn't a great way to go about it tho.

If they got paid as if it performed as well as Halloween 2018 then I almost don’t blame them for taking the money. It was always likely going to drop from the 2018 film, so they’ve probably come out with more money than a pure theatrical release. Good for JLC, it’s just sad for fans who wanted to see it do well at the box office. But at least we’re still having the option of theatrical, assuming the exhibitors don’t throw a hissyfit after they’ve spent the last few months promoting it.

[WittyUsername]

2 hours ago, Krissykins said:

Jamie Lee Curtis even tweeted a video with her accessing peacock announcing it. 
 

Disappointed. 

That means we probably shouldn’t expect a lawsuit. 

[YM!]

3 hours ago, WrathOfHan said:

No Time to Die will be #1 two weeks in a row

I guessed you could say Halloween got killed.

[filmlover]

The timing of this definitely makes it look like they were blindsided by the critical reception yesterday but it could also be that they're expecting the inevitable drop from the previous movie (which they were going to see, especially with the reviews, regardless of day-and-date or not) to be more noticeable now than before and a simultaneous release will allow them to mask the potential disappointment a bit. At least JLC seems to have received a nice payday out of it. 

[Dominic Draper]

4 hours ago, Krissykins said:

Off topic but I almost feel bad for Tom Hardy lol. You can tell he absolutely despises making those films lol, Paycheque gig though. 

Venom was the most fun I think I've seen him have on camera and by all accounts he loves the role.

[EmpireCity]

This one actually makes sense with shit reviews.  Without good reviews (or even with good reviews) this is a 2 week movie.  I don't think it is going to hurt theatrical much.  It will pop an opening and be gone, as it should.  

[Mojoguy]

Holy shit! Streaming kills off ANOTHER movie.

 

Theaters get kicked in the balls again!

[Elessar]

5 hours ago, Porthos said:

Yeah... this isn't a reaction to reviews:

 

 

 

I was already thinking that it was exceedingly unlikely that this was in reaction to reviews once the JLC promo dropped as there is no way in heaven that would have been negotiated and shot in such a short amount of time.

 

VA's comment here makes it look like Universal has been trying this with most of its big movies this year, and Halloween Kills is the first one they were able to successfully negotiate a deal with.  Well, aside from Boss Baby 2. 

 

As to why?  Trying to prop up Peacock is as good a guess as any, I reckon.  Pissing off a large segment of the fanbase probs isn't a great way to go about it tho.

 

Why would it piss off the fanbase? They are giving you more options to see it, not less.

[ThomasNicole]

56% now with 5.7 average.

 

Still can go fresh

 

 

[CJohn]

Fuuuuuck even with Shang-Chi they do this??? Theaters are dead and buried.

[ViewerAnon]

16 hours ago, BadOlCatSylvester said:

@ViewerAnonis fucking pissed on Twitter. Can someone screenshot his recent tweets on this topic before they're gone?

 

How dare you imply I would ever delete my tweets.

 

The narrative around reviews is interesting. It's a slasher movie with a body count in the dozens and dozens... in normal times a 56% would be really good for that kind of movie?

Edited September 10, 2021 by ViewerAnon

[Amorphous]

23 minutes ago, ViewerAnon said:

 

How dare you imply I would ever delete my tweets.

 

The narrative around reviews is interesting. It's a slasher movie with a body count in the dozens and dozens... in normal times a 56% would be really good for that kind of movie?

It's quite frankly frustrating to watch people make such a hissy fit (on both sides) about overall consensus when there's literally only what, sixteen reviews counted so far? Considering HALLOWEEN (2018) is at 79%, anything in the mid to high 50s, or 60s is beyond great for a film that completely goes all in on the slasher front. 

[Krissykins]

29 minutes ago, ViewerAnon said:

 

How dare you imply I would ever delete my tweets.

 

The narrative around reviews is interesting. It's a slasher movie with a body count in the dozens and dozens... in normal times a 56% would be really good for that kind of movie?

You're absolutely right about the reviews.
 

It’s my favourite sub genre and critics have never usually liked those films. But that one RT number holds so much power over some people these days. 

[EmpireCity]

The factor at play here is I'm hearing this morning that Universal the studio does not want to do this.  They hate it and want to stay theatrical only, but there is tremendous pressure from above at NBC to help boost a struggling Peacock streaming and that they need desperate help.  Sort of similar to Warner Bros. getting overridden by AT&T and Paramount not having full say with CBS.