When it comes to upcoming horror movies on the way, I’ve been ecstatic for Guillermo Del Toro’s take on Frankenstein all year. So much so that the idea of buying a ticket to see it on the big screen is a lot more interesting to me than watching it with my Netflix subscription. But, when it came time to purchase my movie tickets to see the new film, I was sorely disappointed with how difficult it was to nab seats to a showing. Let’s talk about it.
Whoa, Finding Tickets To See Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein Is Rough
Now, I’m speaking as someone who lives in the movie capital of the world, Los Angeles, California, which often makes it easier to get tickets to movies not playing as widely in other markets, and I had a rough time. Right now, the movie is only playing at four theaters within ten miles of me, all of which are independent / arthouse cinemas. While I initially tried to get tickets for the first few days it was released (this past weekend), of course, many of the showings were already packed. I settled on getting tickets for this Monday evening.
I took a quick peek at a variety of locations across the United States, and it was confirmed to me how limited the engagement this movie is having in Cineplexes for the next few weeks before arriving on streaming on November 7. Whether you live in a city or a suburb, you’re probably going to have to get out of your way to a degree to see the latest book adaptation based on Mary Shelley’s masterpiece.
This is wild to me, not only because Del Toro is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of our time, but because it stars so many big-name actors and a beloved title that would be very marketable to wider audiences.
Why It’s So Hard To Get Tickets To See It Before It Hits Netflix
Now, this is not completely surprising. Netflix and movie theater exhibitors have had a pretty tumultuous history in recent years, since the streaming service won’t give them the 30 to 90-day exclusivity that theaters insist on. Most Netflix movies are lucky to get very small theatrical windows, and usually only do so if the studio is doing an awards season push.
Netflix’s own CEO, Ted Sarandos, called theatrical movie releases an “outdated concept” earlier this year, and the studio’s co-CEO, Reed Hastings, famously said the company left “lots” of money on the table when they put Knives Out sequel Glass Onion in cineplexes for just a week to great success. Recently, Netflix also put KPop Demon Hunters in a lot more theaters than Frankenstein is getting for a single weekend after its viral success, and it opened at No. 1.
It all seems to come down to the fact that Netflix wants its movies to drive up subscriber numbers and is not that interested in the theatrical experience. But, when it comes to a release like Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, I simply wish that it were available to more audiences to catch it on the big screen.