There is still a cost for digital distribution to movie theaters (usually done on hard drives which can be reused for future films), but it's a fraction of the cost of printing films.
The way films are shown in theatres today is so different than it was just a few decades ago. Not only do you have the billion dollar saver of digital distribution, but it has allowed films to go into a much wider distribution simultaneously. Due to costs, films used to play in several hundred theaters at once, during a wide release. It would roll out slower, and often even a hit film wouldn't reach the secondary markets for months after an initial release. Consequently, mega-hit films would often be in wide release for many months to a year, and in the case of a film like The Sound of Music, it was in general release for several years.
Today, a movie that lingers beyond a couple of months has usually played every conceivable market, because they can open in 2,000 to 4,000 theatres all at once. They make the lion's share of their money in the first few weeks, then drop off considerably and fade away quickly.
It's a whole different mindset and behavior pattern for moviegoers today.
Even with current films, the "wideness" of the distribution can vary drastically.
Take the top three films right now:
#1 - The Hobbit - it's playing in 4,100 theaters in the U.S.
#2 - Django Unchained - 3,010 theaters.
#3 - Les Miserables - 2,808 theatres.
Makes a difference when you look at the current grosses, too.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 12/30/12 at 01:50 PM