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FEATURED REPORT

Hollywood and COVID-19

- February 19, 2021
Will the pandemic permanently reshape the entertainment industry?
Screenshot from Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot. (Screenshot)
As COVID-19 spread across America, one sector feeling a profound impact was the movie theater business. Most theaters closed for much of 2020, with revenues plummeting. AMC, the nation's largest chain, has teetered near bankruptcy.
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Theater Chains and Studios

Governmental Action

Read the Current Situation
 
1890s–1940sFilm industry and powerful studio system develop, fostering Hollywood heyday.
1950s–1980sThe rise of television, including cable TV, erodes theater attendance.
1990s–PresentVideo-on-demand and home streaming services launch, further eroding theater attendance.
   
See more of the Chronology

Will movie theaters return to profitability after the COVID-19 pandemic ends?

Pro

Anthony Palomba
Communication Professor, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

Con

Neil Landau
Screenwriter; Associate Professor of MFA Film and Entertainment & Media Studies, University of Georgia.
Read the Pro/Con Debate

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Slavery's Legacy

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UPCOMING REPORTS

State Finances - 2/26/2021
Will essential services need to be cut?

Expertise Under Assault - 3/5/2021
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Reports are published online 44 times a year. Click here to see the 2020 publication schedule.

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