Movies

A24’s Poor Release Strategy Lets Fans Down and Harms Its Reputation

BBG News

Starting in May, I eagerly anticipated seeing A24’s latest movie titled “Friendship“. This movie is a quirky comedy featuring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson from Netflix’s “I Think You Should Leave” as the main characters, portraying a peculiar neighbor. On what was supposed to be the release date of “Friendship“, May 9th, I opened my AMC app, only to find that many others were in the same predicament – we couldn’t find any showtimes. Although some theaters were showing the film, they were primarily located in New York City and Los Angeles.

The fiasco with the film’s promotion and distribution by A24 could have been prevented, casting a negative light on their professionalism. It appears that A24 may not prioritize their audience’s needs, which is concerning given this isn’t an isolated incident. This carelessness is gradually eroding the studio’s standing in the industry.

What Happened With the Release Date?

Initially, promotions and articles announced that the movie Friendship would be released on May 9. However, it was only available for a limited screening in New York and LA for two weeks starting from May 9. It wasn’t until May 23 that the movie became nationwide. Despite early announcements, A24 didn’t provide much clarity about the release plan.

Despite being just a few weeks away from its premiere, only select websites had individually listed the release dates. Major ticketing platforms such as Fandango and AMC still displayed May 9th as the release date on their apps, without providing reasons for its unavailability to viewers outside of New York and Los Angeles. Even the official website of the movie’s distributor, A24, failed to provide any specific details about its release.

The choice by A24 to employ this release strategy was quite disappointing. It seems illogical to stir up enthusiasm for a film with a single release date only to potentially prolong the wait for the audience. Such tactics can create an impression that the distributor doesn’t value its viewers. Given that many moviegoers might find the film isn’t showing near them on the announced release date, they may lose interest altogether.

Is it sensible to invest in promoting a misleading date or even opt for a limited release when we know that the May 23 wide release clashes with the start of the blockbuster season? On that same day, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and the live-action Lilo & Stitch will also be released. Despite Friendship‘s positive reviews and two funny leads, it’s likely that many audiences would prefer to watch other films over a comedy like Friendship, which has limited marketing.

This Is Not A24’s First Time Doing This

It’s disappointing how A24 handled the release of “Friendship,” but it’s not entirely unexpected given their past mishaps with movie releases. In fact, limited releases followed by wider ones are quite common for films distributed by A24, yet sometimes these movies don’t even receive a full wide release. Similar to “Friendship,” “I Saw the TV Glow” was initially screened only in New York and Los Angeles, with a broader release two weeks later. However, not all theaters were showing the film, and some viewers had to travel over an hour just to find a theater screening it.

As a passionate cinephile, I can’t help but feel disheartened about the unfortunate fate of some truly remarkable films. One such example is “Sing Sing,” a masterpiece that, in my opinion, should have been a strong contender for the Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. Unfortunately, its release was mishandled, which may have contributed to its lack of recognition.

Initially, it had a limited release in early July 2024, with plans for a wide release in August. However, the rollout of the film was slow, and as of August 2nd, it was only available in 18 theaters across the country. It didn’t surpass the 100-theater mark until mid-August, and its largest release didn’t occur until January, when A24 re-released the film for awards season in over 500 theaters. By then, it was too little, too late.

These Problems Don’t Help With Image

Due to escalating ticket costs and faster streaming releases, it becomes increasingly challenging to persuade people to watch a movie in the theater. Nowadays, attending a cinema screening seems like an experience reserved for dedicated cinephiles. A24 has earned a distinguished status as a distributor, which means that not every film they release may appeal to everyone.

A24’s practice of premiering movies earlier in New York and Los Angeles can give an impression of elitism, as if those cities are the only ones of importance. This approach overlooks the challenges faced by cinemas nationwide in attracting viewers. A more inclusive strategy from A24, demonstrating concern for audiences and theaters beyond New York and LA, might resonate better with a wider audience.

Despite not being involved in traditional theater distribution, A24 has encountered difficulties in making its movies accessible to audiences. Previously, they only distributed a limited number of films on Blu-ray discs, which were priced significantly higher than most other Blu-rays and could only be purchased through their own website. It wasn’t until the end of last year that these films began appearing in other retailers, but even then, the high prices persisted. To add to this, A24 struck a deal with Max to stream its films on their platform towards the end of 2023. However, these changes don’t offset the issues related to theatrical releases.

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2025-05-17 01:02

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