Hit 2026 Movie Was Almost Sent Straight to Streaming
A hit 2026 movie almost went straight to streaming.
While there are still plenty of blockbusters to be released in 2026, this year has already had some hits at the box office. The highest-grossing film of the year is currently Cheburashka 2 with approximately $79.5 million, while the second and third place spots belong to 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple with $53.8 million and Border 2 with $48.3 million.
What hit 2026 movie almost went straight to streaming?
Send Help, a new horror movie directed by Sam Raimi, was released last weekend. So far, the movie has grossed around $32.6 million worldwide.
Speaking to The Wrap, Raimi said that there was a point when there were talks about putting Send Help on a streaming service rather than giving it a theatrical release.
“We tried to get financing different ways but then COVID hit and the studio, at the time, said, ‘We can’t make this as a theatrical film. We could make it as a lower-budget, controlled streaming film,’” he explained.
Raimi, however, said he wasn’t interested in making a direct-to-streaming movie and fought for Send Help to be shown in theaters.
“I don’t mean to be a snob but I’m designing this as an audience experience,” he said. “I wanted the interaction of the theater to make it work, because I know that flavor, and I need that. I design my movies to play upon the audience in the theater. I really do. I think it’s a different approach you take,”
Send Help was originally supposed to be released through Sony Pictures. Following the conversation about the film potentially being released on a streaming service, Raimi decided to take the movie elsewhere, with it eventually landing at 20th Century Studios.
Raimi said of 20th Century Studios, “They recognized what we were trying to do, and they were on board with that. Instead of taking this feathered fish and trying to cut off the feathers or trying to remove the scales, they said, ‘Yes, this is a unique thing. Changing it would not be for the better.’ Just embrace what it is. It’s just different.”
Send Help is now playing in United States theaters.
Source: Comingsoon.net