Turn and face the change, cinema industry.
A sequel to Ang Lee’s martial arts epic ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, called The Green Legend has been commissioned by Netflix. In an unprecedented release strategy, it will open at IMAX cinemas on the same day.
Netflix has already disrupted TV models by commissioning high profile shows like House Of Cards, Orange Is The New Black, and Arrested Development and releasing them all in the one day. Now it appears to have traditional cinema models in its sights.
The audiences have greeted this news with great fanfare, having been trained by pirates to be able to watch whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want.
However a large chunk of IMAX screens are controlled by larger traditional theatre chains who are refusing to come to the party. It’s not surprising that they’re not too happy with a release strategy that will see most people watch this in the privacy and comfort of their own homes rather than in local cinemas that smell like spilled Fanta and feet.
But after seeing the music industry, the cable industry, and the publishing industry falter and fall after a refusal to move with the times, one might hope they’d have learned their lesson and be open to any ideas to innovate.
What do you think - would you prefer to catch things on the big screen, or are you happy to watch at home?
And if you've forgotten the movie, here's one of it's awesome fight scenes.
