Equal Portions of US Homes Prefer Viewing New Films on OTT vs. Theaters

A quarter of U.S. broadband homes prefer to watch new feature film releases on an over-the-top subscription service, while 24% “still prefer movie theaters to experience first-run movie titles,” reported Parks Associates Monday. "COVID-19 has upended the traditional content-windowing process, and consumer research shows this paradigm shift is impacting consumer attitudes," said Parks Research Director Steve Nason. “An OTT source scores higher than movie theaters when consumers report their preferences for first-run movies,” he said. “This shift might be temporary, and nearly 30% have no preference for how to watch a new movie, which gives theaters a glimmer of hope they can eventually gain back some audience for first-run titles." Warner recently decided to release its full slate of 2021 blockbuster films simultaneously in theaters and with a one-month window on HBO Max (see 2012040047).