The Tim Cook boys’ platform is rethinking its movie release strategy, after several of these high-budget productions did not have the expected success at the box office. The Californian company is reportedly changing focus: it will abandon massive releases in global cinemas for these types of films and redeem them to its platform.
Apple TV+ does not have the expected success
This change in the release strategy of its high-budget films has a lot to do with the disappointing box office performance of big titles such as Killers of the Flower Moon, by acclaimed Martin Scorsese, Napoleon, by Ridley Scott, and Argylle, by Matthew Vaughn. .
Since its launch, Apple had opted to invest heavily in the film industry, allocating approximately 1 billion dollars annually to produce big-budget films with the aim of directly competing with Hollywood studios. The company’s initial idea was that these feature films would not only boost ticket sales in theaters, but also hoped to receive prestigious awards and raise Apple’s profile in the film sector.
The poor results in the films mentioned above have led the bitten apple company to reduce its presence in movie theatersopting for an approach more aimed at limited releases, to focus on streaming. A clear example of this was the recently released Wolfs, the film starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, which although it was initially intended to have a worldwide release in theaters, finally ended up being shown in a few theaters before reaching Apple. TV+.
Streaming release
This change seeks to optimize the profitability of its productions, avoiding the high costs of mass releases. Apple seems to follow a more strategy similar to Netflixwhere theatrical releases are limited to fulfilling requirements for awards like the Oscars, while the main focus is on streaming.
Apple remains committed to a $1 billion annual budget for its films, but will now focus on producing fewer big-budget works, reducing both theatrical releases and production costs. Most of its films are expected to have budgets of less than $100 million, and only one or two annual productions will receive major investments and global releases. An example is the movie «F1«starring Brad Pitt, which will be released in 2025 and will be the most expensive in Apple’s history, with more than 300 million dollars budget.
This change reflects current trends in the industry, where streaming is consolidated as the main distribution channel. Apple seeks to adapt to this environment, prioritizing its Apple TV+ platform over the traditional box office.
