At the recent CinemaCon event in Las Vegas, several prominent filmmakers insisted that reviving the theatergoing experience should be a priority for the film industry. However, this would require audiences to unlearn what certain studios have conditioned them to expect in recent years. Netflix continues to insist that it isn't in the big-screen business, even as it flirts with the idea of releasing certain titles theatrically.
Disney spent years diverting audiences to its Disney+ service, as did Warner Bros., which made HBO Max its priority for a long time. On the other hand, new entrants such as Amazon and Apple have dabbled in large-scale theatrical releases alongside smaller distributors such as Briarcliff Entertainment, Black Bear, and Magenta Light Studios. Briarcliff released arguably the best-reviewed sci-fi movie of the year after Project Hail Mary, but it failed to make an impression theatrically because audiences simply didn't perceive it as a big-screen event.