Friday, November 22, 2024

Streamers are Squeamish: Netflix, Apple, and Amazon All Cancel South by Southwest on Virus Fears and Panic

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Streaming services are more scared than studios of the coronavirus.

Netflix, Amazon, and Apple are all out of South by Southwest. They’ve cancelled their screenings and panels at the upcoming festivals.

So far the regular movie studios have not thrown in the towel.  But it’s funny that the streamers, who are supposed to be so creative and bold, were the first to abandon ship. Paramount and Universal have several entries at SXSW. All eyes are on them now.

Facebook and Twitter have also pulled programs. Again, they’re from the fearless internet.

Depending on how the virus situation, all film festivals could be in trouble. But my sources at Cannes say they’re proceeding as if nothing has changed. We’ll see. If New York continues to have new patients revealed, what about the Tribeca Festival?

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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