The World Can’t Wait for “Indy”? It Won’t Have To

When it comes to the release of mega-hit films, the world is impatient. Films, like “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” are “released on the same day in cities around the world, in a mass moment of pop culture consumption,” writes William Booth for the Washington Post. Much has changed since 1981, when the first Indiana Jones film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released to less than 1,100 screens in the US. The latest in the series will be released to more than 15,000 screens worldwide. A major for the reason is the rising affluence and interest of the global audience, while US ticket sales stagnate. Simultaneous release allows producers to prevent piracy and bootlegged tapes; snag big audiences before critics unleash negative reviews; and allow movie fans around the globe to announce unbiased opinions on the internet. – YaleGlobal