Are Wide “Specialized Releases” Becoming the New Norm?

 Traditionally, the film industry saw appealing popular fare head to a default wide release, while more specialized, genre, and indie projects would seek out only limited runs. This dynamic seems to be shifting fast in Hollywood as we see more and more “specialty” projects conquer wide-release models. Industry expert from Blake & Wang P.A., entertainment attorney Brandon Blake, gives us some insight into this new development.

 


                                                                            Brandon Blake

A Year of Wide Releases

In 2024 alone, we’ve seen Megalopolis, Conclave, The Apprentice, and now also The Substance opt for wide releases, even on short runs. Previously, these would have seen a Los Angeles and New York debut at best. In the case of The Substance, this is also a first for a niche streamer, MUBI. Its widest release before the nearly 2k screen debut for The Substance was Passages, which played in 114 theaters.

 

This shift to broad release models for previously specialized releases comes at a time when the film release schedule is smaller, with fewer long-term hits. Theater access is now the new seller’s market. For the most part, these specialized releases have delivered, with Longlegs and Civil War both demonstrating that these “niche” films can, indeed, attract a wide audience.

Expanded Access

Another key factor in this new development is the expanded markets that are open to pretty much any legitimate distributor. Achieving a 2k screen run these days is relatively simple. Once, it would have been near impossible. The advent of the shorter theatrical window and the simple need to drive more business into cinemas have both played their own roles.

 

Additionally, platform releases have become less appealing, driving up the risk and potentially impacting the awards season appeal of films that can’t immediately succeed with the model. In many ways, wide releases have become simpler to plan and execute.

 

However, no matter the mechanics behind this shift on the distributor side, one more thing is abundantly clear. Many more films can carry audiences into theaters on wide release than we once thought possible. In a media climate where it has been proven repeatedly that a diverse mix of film budgets and topics is one of the keys to thriving theaters and the industry itself, it’s great to see more films on offer to a broader market.

 

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