Not all films getting released in theatres in these times are doing so with the enthusiastic support of their creators.
Synchronic, distributed by Well Go USA, isn’t exactly a major release. Starring Anthony Mackie and James Dornan, the movie follows paramedics in New Orleans as their work becomes entangled with otherworldly terror caused by a designer drug from somewhere… not quite right. It’s a small, independent sci-fi film, well liked from a festival appearance and ready for a small, respectable theatrical showing. At least, it would be, were it not for the pandemic. And yet Well Go USA is going ahead with that showing, with the film coming to theatres and drive-ins on October 23rd. The directors, Justin Benson and Aaron Morehead, as well as the producer, David Lawson, have some thoughts about this.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the three creators say that, “at the time of writing this, we personally wouldn’t go to an indoor movie theatre, so we can’t encourage you to.” They explain that the film’s distribution situation is out of their control, and assure audiences that the film will be available via on-demand “in a few months” for those who want to watch it without risking their lives.
So far as I can tell, this is a fairly unprecedented disavowal from a filmmaker regarding the distribution of their film during the pandemic. Typically, the films that have released during covid-19 have done so with the (reported, anyway) support of their creators. A public statement at odds with the distributor, urging viewers not to go see your movie, is a strong stance. It’s also, y’know, one of the only ethical stances to take when movie theatres in the United States are presently capable of spreading a plague. You can read the full statement above.
[referenced id=”1304615″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/08/its-not-worth-it__trashed/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/26/hbznaiqn4jrksh8r3stx-300×169.jpg” title=”Going Back to Movie Theatres Isn’t Worth it” excerpt=”The New Mutants is finally getting ready for its debut. It’s the biggest movie to open in the United States since the novel coronavirus pandemic started, and will be followed by an even bigger film, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. The studios and theatres might swear things will be OK, but all…”]
Synchronic comes out October 23rd. Should you go see it? To paraphrase its creators: No. No, do not.
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Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.