2022 has been a hopeful year in some ways and an ominous year in others. Theaters are still limping along, the streaming wars continue, and the further consolidation of the entertainment industry continues to make everyone nervous. As a consumer, I still feel like we're in an okay place, but that could change quickly.
So, this year for the holidays I want…
A record breaking year at the box office. We know that the demand for the theatrical experience is still there, and we saw some promising success stories last year. Hopefully the studios won't be so quick to make so many of their less promising films streaming exclusives the way we saw this year. 2022 ran short on theatrical films in certain months, but the same shouldn't be true in 2023. Lots of old favorites and big names are back, and I'm personally looking forward to the Christopher Nolan/Greta Gerwig showdown the most.
The resurrection of the DCEU. I'm incredibly curious about all of those DC films that have been delayed and delayed, and the subject of so much behind-the-scenes drama and speculation over the past year. With the MCU on autopilot, and Sony's superheroes showing few signs of life, this is Warners' opportunity to really take center stage with four DCEU films currently on the schedule. At the very least, the suspense over the fate of Ezra Miller as the Flash has to be resolved one way or another. This mess has been dragged out for way too long. And speaking of Warners…
For Warner Bros. Discovery to successfully reorient. I hope the current leadership got the slash and burn impulses out of their systems, because they can't afford to keep alienating the creative community. The quick reinstatement of the diversity workshops after the DGA made their displeasure known, is a sign that Zaslav and company can be reasoned with, so I'm trying to stay optimistic. They have a lot coming up in 2023, including their merger of the HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming services.
A good Oscar season. I know that the Oscar race has been losing ground with mainstream viewers for years now, but I still enjoy the fuss every year, and I'm hoping some of the bumpy broadcast issues can be worked out. The Golden Globes are back, at least for this year, and the Oscar ceremony is in the hands of producers who know how to put on a good show. I don't have any specific suggestions for the ceremony, except that I think we're all past the point of pretending that the Oscars aren't anything more than a marketing event - so they should embrace that and really put on a show.
The MCU's Phase Five to improve on Phase Four. It's not that I didn't enjoy most of the movies and shows that came out of Phase Four, but all of the Marvel content on Disney+ came out depressingly similar in tone and structure, with few exceptions. The "Star Wars" content has the same problem, but the MCU really feels like it's at a turning point with better opportunities to regroup. I hope that eventually Disney+ will be able to rely less on existing IP, but it's going to take a while to get there.
For streamers to proceed with caution regarding ad tiers. We've got a lot of these coming in 2023, in the wake of Netflix's recent launch. I'm not happy about this development at all, but if ad tiers are the only way to keep the streamers in business, it's hard to argue against them. However, this is likely going to be a very slippery slope, leading straight back to the promotion-riddled hellscape where cable television ended up. Remember when cable channels didn't have commercials? At least there are some minor benefits that come with them - more transparency about audience habits, and hopefully more varied and better ads.
For Peacock to find somebody to bundle with, because there's no way I'm paying for them as a standalone service.
For a smooth transition for the new Doctor Who. I'm always behind, but I'm still watching!
And finally, for all the media coming next year to exceed my expectations, and the creators behind them to have every opportunity to do good work.
Happy holidays!
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