Edinburgh Napier University

  Beginning in early 2020, the global outbreak of COVID-19 dealt a severe blow to the worldwide film industry. Hollywood, as the centre of the global film industry, experienced unprecedented disruption: film productions were halted, and widespread cinema closures meant that new releases could not be shown as scheduled. The global film industry struggled throughout the year, and Hollywood actively sought new avenues for film distribution. Many theatrical releases were forced to shift from the traditional cinema model to streaming platforms, leading to a trend where Hollywood blockbusters moved from the "big screen" to the "small screen," with simultaneous releases in cinemas and on streaming services.
This report uses the distribution of Hollywood blockbusters during the pandemic-stricken year of 2020 as a case study to explore the potential disappearance of the traditional "theatrical window" model, the rising trend of streaming releases, and the broader challenges facing Hollywood’s conventional distribution practices.