The Bigger Picture: Coronavirus in the Context of the History of the American Film Industry

In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, many commentators on American life predicted that people “would never” be able to do a variety of social activities again, even post-pandemic. Among these activities was going to movie theaters. Because theaters were already competing for audiences with the growing number of streaming services, and so many viewers migrated to streaming once lockdowns began, some observers argued that movie theaters would not survive the pandemic. This chapter argues that theaters will in fact survive, for two reasons: the history of the American film industry, including theatrical distribution, is a history of adaptation to threats; and human sociability will ensure that people will still go out to movies even when they can watch them at home.