After a year of lacklustre ticket sales, it may be up to a group of superheroes and a certain British secret service agent to help global box offices out of last year's slump. However, experts are predicting a slow recovery.
According to Reuters, box office receipts plummeted by 80 per cent in 2020, compared with revenue in the previous year. This plunge was expected, however, given the number of delayed releases and cinema closures brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
A few production companies decided to avoid theatrical releases altogether, such as Disney, which opted to release its long-awaited live-action adaptation of Mulan on to its streaming service, Disney+, in some parts of the world.
But as cinemas gradually began to reopen, hopes were initially placed on Christopher Nolan's time-warping action film Tenet and Patty Jenkins's superhero sequel Wonder Woman 1984 to help boost box office numbers.
However, social distancing measures, as well as a reluctant cinema audience, dealt a critical blow to the expectations of theatre operators and production companies.
With Tenet, Warner Bros was staunchly obscure for a long time about how the film was faring in cinemas. It was initially expected to fetch more than $500 million at the box office.
British newspaper The Observer reported that the film needed to earn at least $450m to break even. However, it only made $350m.
"This is not how Warner Bros expected it to go even in their worst-case scenario," Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for entertainment research and data company Exhibitor Relations, told entertainment news website Vulture in September, a month after Tenet was released worldwide.
“They are not happy with these numbers. I’ve never seen a studio hide anything unless they’re disappointed. If you have something to crow about, they’ll let the world know.”
Wonder Woman 1984 did not fare much better. Though the film made the highest box office opening during the pandemic – earning about $16m in North America when it was released in cinemas over Christmas – its overall financial performance has been a bit of a disappointment. It cost $200m to make, and raked in $118.5m globally; a bitter result considering its 2017 predecessor lassoed in more than $822m.
However, in the US, the film was simultaneously released in cinemas and on the HBO Max streaming service, which no doubt affected its box office performance.
It cost $200m to make, and raked in $118.5m globally; a bitter result considering its 2017 predecessor lassoed in more than $822m.
There is reason to be optimistic, though, especially in light of coronavirus vaccines.
Cinema operators and production companies are now counting on some of this year's most anticipated films – most of which were originally scheduled for release last year – to help box office numbers recover. The pressure is squarely on the shoulders of a handful of blockbusters, including the new James Bond film No Time to Die, slated for an April release, and the Marvel superhero flick Black Widow, scheduled to be released in May.
"I think we'll see a lot of improvements throughout 2021, but I do think it will take some time to get there," Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOfficePro.com, told Reuters. "It won't be an overnight return to normal by any means."
Other big-budget releases that cinema operators and production companies are pinning their hopes on include the new Fast and Furious instalment, scheduled for a May release; family-friendly animation Minions: The Rise of Gru, slated for a June release; and Top Gun: Maverick and Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, due to be released in July.
That's not to say release dates are set in stone. Distribution companies are wary about when to release blockbuster films, keeping a watchful eye on the pandemic and the administering of the vaccine.
They are also likely to continue releasing films in cinemas and streaming services simultaneously. Warner Bros is planning a dual-release for a further 17 films this year, including Dune, parts of which were filmed in Abu Dhabi.
A number of cinema operators in the US, however, are saying that the takings from Wonder Woman 1984's Christmas weekend opening demonstrates that there is still an appetite for the cinema experience.
"We're seeing week after week our attendance go up," Bobbie Bagby Ford, executive vice president of B&B Theatres, told Reuters. She also does not expect the industry to go back to the way things were until vaccination programmes expand and social distancing restrictions can be lifted.
“It’s probably going to be the holidays of 2021 before I see us back to full swing."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WTL%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2019%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EKites%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EAliassime%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3ESwiatek%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Tiesto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2020%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Wizkid%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2021%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3EBadosa%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Ne-Yo%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2022%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EHawks%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EThiem%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3EKontaveit%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20deadmau5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(2pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EEagles%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EKyrgios%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3EGarcia%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2024%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFinals%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Armin%20Van%20Buuren%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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SPEC%20SHEET
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
ARGYLLE
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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