Why A Haunting In Venice Getting A Theatrical Release Is A Great Sign For The Future Of 20th Century Films

Disney's presentation at CinemaCon, which is currently taking place in Las Vegas, was a bit muted compared to the likes of Warner Bros. That said, the Mouse House did show theater owners that they are prepared to deliver the goods under CEO Bob Iger, who returned to head up the company once again late last year. Case in point, a movie like "A Haunting in Venice" was showcased to the crowd, with the teaser trailer debuting online shortly thereafter. And yes, Kenneth Branagh's third Hercule Poirot mystery will indeed be an exclusive theatrical release.

While it's not necessarily news that the film is headed to a theater near you this fall, it is a welcome reminder that Disney is not doubling down stubbornly on streaming-only films. What's more, they're clearly willing to look at a more modern, mixed model of success in allowing movies like this to not only exist but have a shot at the box office before ultimately bolstering the company's streaming offerings on Hulu and Disney+. In short, the future of 20th Century Studios looks brighter than it did not all that long ago under former CEO Bob Chapek. Let's talk about why.

As mentioned, Branagh has made two of these Agatha Christie adaptations in the past, 2017's "Murder on the Orient Express" and 2022's "Death on the Nile." The first of these two films was produced by 20th Century Fox before the Disney acquisition in 2019, which resulted in the name change to 20th Century Studios. More importantly, "Murder" was a big hit, taking in $352 million worldwide on a $55 million budget. Disney inherited "Death" thanks to the acquisition, but that movie didn't go smoothly, to say the least.

For one, a pandemic got in the way and delayed the planned release several times. But when the release finally came calling, the controversies surrounding one of its main stars, Armie Hammer, really hampered the marketing campaign. As a result, the sequel earned a mere $137.3 million against a much larger $90 million budget, making it one of the bigger theatrical disappointments of 2022. Be that as it may, Disney didn't wait long to pull the trigger on yet another installment in Branagh's ongoing Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot franchise.

The pursuit of a sequel strongly indicates that "Death on the Nile" performed quite well on Hulu, as well as on VOD and, quite possibly, Blu-ray/DVD. If that's the case, it's no doubt thanks in part to that theatrical release, which brought a lot of attention to the film, even if it didn't ultimately turn a profit in theaters. 

Similarly, 2021's "Encanto" topped out at $256 million globally but went on to find ridiculous success on Disney+, with "We Don't Talk About Bruno" becoming a chart-topping song. Theatrical releases give way to bigger streaming success. Period. That's why Warner Bros. is pretty much not making streaming movies anymore under CEO David Zaslav.

This is not to say that Disney is never going to make direct-to-streaming movies, because they absolutely are. But it does demonstrate that Iger is willing to be flexible and play the ball where it lies. This is particularly encouraging given that 20th Century was a huge provider of theatrical hits before the Disney acquisition. Things looked pretty bleak last year when it was revealed that the studio was committing to ten movies per year for Hulu, seemingly relegating the former Hollywood powerhouse to a streaming content generator and nothing more. It's part of the reason why "Prey," the widely-beloved "Predator" prequel from director Dan Trachtenberg, went directly to Hulu rather than getting a fair shake in theaters. It feels very much like this wouldn't have happened under Iger's leadership, speculative though that may be.

This provides a great deal of hope to those of us that are looking forward to seeing the next "Alien" movie from director Fede Alvarez in theaters, rather than having it relegated to the Hulu homepage. Similarly, there is no chance in hell that "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" will suffer a streaming-only release. Pre-pandemic, Disney was the unquestioned king of the box office. In an era where superhero films are less certain than they have been in decades, Disney needs to explore any and all avenues to secure theatrical hits. More than that, movie theaters need those hits to survive. The way Iger and Disney seem to be handling things in 2023 and beyond is encouraging. For those such as myself who cherish the theatrical experience, there is reason to be hopeful.

"A Haunting in Venice" is set to hit theaters on September 15, 2023.