#Stellan Skarsgård Laments The Decline Of The Mid-Budget Movie

In Skarsgård’s answer, he lamented the loss of mid-budget films in our algorithm-based world controlled by a handful of wealthy corporation owners. “I’ve got nothing against superhero movies,” Skarsgård said. “I’ve been in a couple and they definitely have a place.” He continued: 

“The problem is that the system that allows eight people to own half of the wealth in the world enhances the power of the market forces, so small and independent cinemas rarely exist any more outside a few big cities.”

Skarsgård isn’t alone in his thinking. “Avengers: Endgame” director Joe Russo has also said that he doesn’t think independent films have a future in the theater, with independent and mid-budget fare pivoting to streaming services. Skarsgård continued:

“There’s no distribution channels for all the mid-budget films that have the best actors, the best writing, because they can’t throw up $3 million for a marketing campaign. When cinemas let them in, they do so for one week and if it doesn’t pay off in a week, they’re gone.”

Last December, independent theaters called the Warner Bros. deal with HBO Max to stream releases day-and-date a “questionable decision,” made when independent theaters were at their most vulnerable at the height of the pandemic (which we’re still in, mind you). The deal is ending next year, but Warner Bros. will still produce 10 movies exclusively for HBO Max in 2022.