Movie Theaters Are Not Just Businesses. They're Community Assets.
Theaters are a space where people come together to experience empathy as a community. That’s worth preserving.
It's Tuesday, June 24th. Here's what's happening.
🍿 The Big Picture
An outstanding new report on the theater business by analyst Stephen Follows documented the perilous state of the movie theater business in America. The most alarming statistic? Half of the exhibition executives polled believe that the cinema business has less than 20 years left. And these aren't pundits; these are the people actually working in the industry, running the businesses. Less than 20 years.
The theater business is on the brink for many reasons. The pandemic. The rise of streaming channels. Going to the movies is expensive. Shorter theatrical windows. Audiences today can be rude. There's a lack of variety at the cinemas. Too many reboots and sequels. Superhero fatigue. The list goes on and on.
As a lover of the cinema, and a glass-half-full kind of guy, I want to see movie theaters make it. Not just for me, but for the next generation of film lovers. Roger Ebert famously once called movies an "empathy machine." He described the film-going experience as a way to step into someone else's shoes, in a way that the real world could never allow.
In a world that is becoming increasingly isolated and polarized, identifying with those around us and coming together as a community is more important than ever. A movie theater isn't just a business. It's a space where people come together to experience empathy as a community. That’s worth preserving.
Going out and supporting your local cinema (especially if it's family-run and/or showing independent or classic films) is a great way to start.
🎥 Extra Coverage
Indie films are getting more tax credits in California under the expanded program, but the largest total went to a $20 million Netflix feature, causing some raised eyebrows in the indie world. (The Hollywood Reporter)
It's no secret that short form media is everywhere and it's addictive (TikTok, YouTube, etc.). But don't write off longer form video and movies. They're also on the rise. No, really. (The Honest Broker)
Further Adventures is trying out a new approach to scaling movies: grabbing YouTube creators and indie-film creators and helping them grow their projects into final products. (IndieWire)
📈 Movie Stock Index
Market Close: Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
Total Value: $106,734.08
Today's Change: $644.29 (0.61%)
Total Gain/Loss (Since 05/12/25): $6,734.06 (6.73%)
Slight uptick for the movie stock index. Tech giants Google (0.96%) and Amazon (2.06%) were slightly up, but Apple (-0.60%) closed down. No clear leadership on the upside but it is interesting that Cineverse has been steadily trending up (31.25% since May 12th).
Disclaimer: The MovieNewsPro Stock Index is a virtual index - there are no actual funds invested. Sector index total value dollar amounts are based on an initial hypothetical investment of $100,000 on May 12th, 2025. We are not licensed investment advisors and our information should not be used as investment advice. Invest wisely.
🏆 Film Festivals
Doc Edge Film Festival, New Zealand - June 18-July 31
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, US - June 18-28
Oakville Film Festival, Canada - June 18-25
Raindance Film Festival, UK - June 18-27
Brussels International Film Festival, Belgium - June 20-28
Kimolos International Film Festival, Greece - June 21-25
Mediterrane Film Festival, Malta - June 21-29
London Screenings, UK - June 23-25
Sunny Side Of The Doc, France - June 23-26
Biarritz Film Festival Nouvelles Vagues, France - June 24-29
Docs Ireland, Ireland - June 24-29
Palm Springs ShortFest, US - June 24-30
Nantucket Film Festival, US - June 25-30
Oak Cliff Film Festival, US - June 26-29
FilmFest Munich, Germany - June 27-July 6
📺 Watch This Tonight
Michael Clayton (2007)
Directed by Tony Gilroy
Clooney's most nuanced performance, with stellar support from Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and the great Sydney Pollack. Holds up to repeated viewings. This is a moody, tightly constructed thriller with a rewarding payoff.
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Disclaimer/Transparency
MovieNewsPro is a film industry news monitoring service. All stories have been previously reported elsewhere and are not exclusive stories to MNP. All information is believed to be accurate at the time of reporting. MovieNewsPro uses a full array of technology to gather information, including machine learning, automation and artificial intelligence throughout its business monitoring, editing and reporting process.
