Cinema as Theme Park

Movies and going to the cinema are turning into a kind of theme park experience. It feels like the end of the era when we used to talk about the "glory days" of cinema. With that, the film industry is practically declaring itself over.

From now on, it'll be more like cinema mixed with escape rooms, VR 360° story experiences, or even sitting with the director and chatting while you watch. Filmmakers will try to make money not by filling theaters like before, but by selling fewer people a more expensive, "special" experience.

Lionsgate is holding a screening of "The Long Walk" where you need to walk on a treadmill faster than 3MPH for the whole movie. If you stop, you'll be escorted out of the theater and you can't watch the rest of the film.

This is where we are now. The traditional cinema experience—sit, watch, reflect—is being replaced by gimmicks designed to justify premium pricing. It's not about the film anymore. It's about the experience around the film.