New data shows fewer movies are being released, signaling a major threat to theaters

The theatrical industry is worried that fewer movies will be released than before the coronaviruses outbreak.

Twenty-eight movies have been released in wide release so far this year, according to Comscore. 42 movies at the same point in the year are a drop of 33%.

It is an improvement over last year, when movie releases were limited due to the Pandemic. According to Comscore, only 10 movies had been released in wide release at this point last year.

The US box office is down by 41% compared to 2019.

By this point in the year, hits such as —Captain Marvel— and —Avengers: Endgame— had been released. The Batman and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are two of the successes this year.

The box office will struggle to get back to pre-pandemic levels without a full theatrical release calendar.

Movie product is key to the success of any given year.

Why are studios releasing fewer movies in theaters?

There are two main reasons for the lack of movie releases this year. Production delays were caused by the coronaviruses. More movies are being made for streaming services.

The Disney movie "Predator" will debut on Hulu this year, while Sony has a first look deal with the streaming service.

After the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick this weekend, a slew of high-profile releases will follow, includingJurassic World: Dominion.

There are just 63 more wide releases for the rest of the year. The total for the full year is subject to change.

John Fithian, the CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Insider in December that the major Hollywood studios typically release 120 movies in a year.

Shrinking slate of theatrical releases was one of the biggest fears of the theater industry.

Theater owners are trying to convince the streaming giant to increase its theatrical output. A person close to the theatrical industry says that they want Netflix to commit to a longer theatrical window of 30 to 45 days for the movies it puts in theaters.

Theater owners could be getting what they want. According to a recent report, there is a possibility of a 45 day window for certain titles. In the past, movies have been given a two-week window before being made available to stream. When asked by Insider if they would comment on the report, they declined.