Hollywood constantly brings a new generation of stars to the horror genre in an effort to draw in younger viewers and provide an abundance of thrills. One example of this is Tarot, the latest horror film from Sony Pictures that stars a number of well-known up-and-coming actors. The cast features Jacob Batalon from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avantika Vandanapu, the breakout cast member from Mean Girls.
Well, Tarot has caused quite a stir in the horror community as it heads to digital platforms much sooner than expected. Despite earning over 4 times its budget of $8 million, many horror fans are feeling slighted by the decision to release the film online so quickly.
This trend, much like what was seen with The Fall Guy, has left fans voicing their vexations with statements like “Too quick to streaming. Lost returns”.
Tarot’s Early Digital Premiere Has Horror Fans Divided
Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen are making their feature film directing debuts with Tarot, which is based on Nicholas Adams’ 1992 novel Horrorscope. The plot centers on college pals who start losing their lives in ways that seem connected to recent tarot card readings.
Did we mention that earlier this year, the film’s original title, Horrorscope, was changed to Tarot (see Sony Pictures)? That being said, in terms of box office success, it performed surprisingly well. The $8 million budget of the film—starring Jacob Batalon as Paxton—was met by an astounding $37.2 million in box office receipts (Box Office Mojo).
In addition to playing Peter Parker’s closest friend Ned in the Spider-Man films, Batalon has starred in the independent films: Blood Fest, Lift, The True Don Quixote, Let It Snow, and Every Day.
However, per The Hollywood Handle, the film is set to hit the digital platform tomorrow, much to the disappointment of die-hard horror fans who prefer to see their films on the big screen. One viewer expressed frustration, saying, “I only watch movies in theaters”, while another complained, “Too quick to stream. Lost returns”.
Let’s have a look at a few other comments left by fans via X:
see that hollywood? under ten mill tripled almost quadrupled it's budget.
— expat (@expatcok) May 28, 2024
Too quick to streaming. Lost returns
— Hinzer (@Hinzer14) May 27, 2024
That’s pretty good money. Why not stay a little longer in theaters?
— Julio Ramirez (@Jayrane98) May 27, 2024
@TarotMovie I only watch movies in theaters. It's been a busy week and I would have loved to seen this. Guess you need the streaming money more than me. Oh well🤷🏻♂️
— EVENT HORIZON (@thejodyC) May 27, 2024
And THEREIN lies the problem. Why bother going to the cinema when you can just wait a few weeks and watch it at home (I won't be doing either).
— Peter Fletcher (@PeterFletcher27) May 27, 2024
Yet amidst the hum of disgruntled murmurs, there is a silver lining of praise, with admirers citing the success of the film, which “almost quadrupled its budget”. Despite receiving negative reviews from critics and 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear that the trend of movies heading to streaming platforms soon after their theatrical releases is a divisive issue among film fans.
The Fall Guy Is Also Streaming in Just a Few Days After its Release
With a $130 million budget, The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, was expected to be a big summer box office hit, but its box office performance was actually not encouraging. The film was perceived to have an increased chance of becoming one of 2024’s major box office hits due to the extra benefit of having two ‘Barbenheimer’ stars starring.
Following a lower-than-expected opening weekend, with The Fall Guy’s domestic box office debuting at just $27.7 million, expectations started to shift (see The Numbers). After more than two weeks in theaters, the movie has only managed to make $127 million worldwide.
The Fall Guy’s box office prospects are now even worse due to Universal Pictures’ announcement that the film is now available digitally along with an extended cut version that features 20 minutes of extra footage. Though this practice has become more widespread, Gosling’s movie is among the higher-profile movies to receive a simultaneous streaming release this early in its theatrical run.
In 2020, Universal and AMC reached an agreement to reduce the theatrical window from its usual 90 days to 17 days in order to accommodate peak pandemic viewing habits (via AP News). But a few months later, Universal and Cinemark came up with a more intricate plan (per Variety).
A movie that made at least $50 million on its opening weekend would have to play exclusively in theaters for five full weekends, but a flop could move to digital in 17 days under the terms of the new deal.
Regardless, many movie purists believe that the theatrical experience is unmatched and that releasing films digitally so soon diminishes the value of seeing a movie on the big screen. Some worry that this trend could lead to the demise of traditional movie theaters altogether.
You can rent The Fall Guy on Apple TV.
