It looks like 3D’s gloss may finally be wearing off, prompting Hollywood studios to rethink their future plans. “It’s about time!,” I hear you cry.
According to media analyst Richard Greenfield, cinema-going audiences are turning their backs on 3D in droves. In a Hollywood Reporter article, Greenfield cited ‘top sellers’ data on Fandango (an online US ticketing website) stating, “2D movie ticket sales for Warner Bros weekend release Green Lantern and the final installment of Harry Potter are outpacing 3D ticket sales, in a possible latest sign of 3D fatigue.” These statistics are even more significant given what Greenfield called a “massive 3D promotional push” for Green Lantern.
Greenfield went on to say, “We continue to believe U.S. consumers are frustrated with the amount of 3D movies Hollywood is producing, especially when combined with excessive ticket prices. In addition, we suspect the darkness of 3D is starting to impact movie satisfaction (this was a key problem with Pirates 3D, with both Green Lantern and Potter starting off with darker imagery and then layering on 3D glasses that darken the images further).” Greenfield again highlighted the disappointing performance of a range of recent 3D releases by adding, “While the higher ticket prices of 3D could allow the 3D box office take to exceed 2D box office, ticket sales are clearly skewing 2D.”
Hollywood studios have been riding on the coattails of Avatar for a while now. Avatar was a rare gem; for which technology was specifically developed and the 3D aspect designed to serve the story, not the other way around. Whether you liked the film or not, a whole heap of love and attention was put into Avatar and it showed in the final product – making us believe 3D could actually work in the right hands. However, most of the 3D films since Avatar have been a complete disaster; often being rushed through production in order to cash-in on the 3D trend and many not even being shot in 3D, only being converted in post-production from 2D source material (a process that produces shockingly bad 3D images and the dreaded ‘pop-up effect’). Clash of Titans is one movie that immediately springs to mind (although, to be fair, nothing could have saved that abomination).
I, for one, am glad to see that cinema-goers are starting to give Hollywood the hint. Now let us unite again and correct another Hollywood atrocity… the endless stream of shoddy reboots and remakes.
Does this news come as a surprise to you? Are you glad? Should Hollywood stop making 3D films altogether? Or at least stop converted films to 3D?
