A24…No More?

A24 has always been a beacon of arthouse cinema. Consistently, they’re films have been source of artistic films. Most of which have a message that they want to send. Hungry writers and directors looking for a studio to let them film their crazy fever dreams needn’t look further. The poster child for this being the incomparable Ari Aster. Hereditary and Midsommar are excellent examples of the kind of horror you can expect from a studio like this. I can still remember being in the theater with Shawna and watching as “the” Charlie scene happened in Hereditary. I audibly yelped “What???”. The constant subverting of expectations. That is what I’ve come to love from them. Awards, great stories to tell, and an adamant fan base.

The question comes….is it sustainable?

Apparently, that question has been asked and answered. The answer? Probably not.

A24 announced this week that they are going to start looking at expanding into “Action and Big IPs”. While disheartening to hear, I want to believe that they are using this as a potential strategy to still be able to make the arthouse quality films that their fans know and love. The films they make, I personally believe, speak for themselves. Do they make money though? Yes, Heredtary and Midsommar were commercially successful, but how many others are? Not all find the mainstream success that they have.

It does appear that longevity is their main goal. If they have to make a few big budget IPs or big budget action movies, I’m willing to give them a chance to keep getting the things I love from them.