Why Disney’s Decision to Forgo ‘Strange World’ French Theatrical Release Is Causing Panic
variety.comElsa Keslassy International CorrespondentDisney’s strategic decision to forgo the theatrical release of its next big animated feature “Strange World” in France due to windowing regulations threatens to upend the country’s film industry.That’s because the French box office is increasingly dominated by movies from U.S.
studios. With ticket sales in the country already sliding, the prospect of losing the kind of family-friendly release that Disney specializes in producing is a terrifying prospect for the hard-hit industry.
And French exhibitors aren’t the only ones who stand to lose if “Strange World” starts a trend of Hollywood projects skirting France’s onerous regulations dictating the length of an exclusive theatrical release in favor of premiering on streaming services.
It’s also a burden on distributors and producers, who get funding from taxes levied by the National Film Board (CNC) on theatrical admissions.
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