The Uncertain Future of A24

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A24 has produced some of the most daring movies of the last decade, but they're looking to change the way they operate. In this video, I go over some of the grim realities of trying to make money in movies.
Music by Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com)
Follow me on Twitter: / midnightcap
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Special thanks to Andrew Elliott (Stalli111: / stalli111 ) for editing this video

[@k-dawgwestmore4643]

If A24’s upcoming “action and big IP” movies are as fresh and creative as Everything Everywhere All At Once, I’m okay with it.

[@thegrimmarcher202]

Yes, but this is the modern entartainment industry so its unlikely.

[@artierupinen9240]

I shall go to the future to find out.

[@peterfrank3365]

My concern is, they'd lose that eventually. They'd start strong, and then lose it.

[@nothisispatrick6528]

That’s a pretty big if

[@TrippyShasta]

Everything Everywhere All At Once reminds me of the title I'm thinking of ending things

[@Jonathan_Collins]

I love A24 in that gives those indie films that would have gone into obscurity a chance to get distributed to a wider audience. And the fact that they give the directors and producers full reins in how they want the movie/show to be done. I love how weird the stories we get from A24.

[@VuotoPneumaNN]

I do too. I really don’t appreciate Captain Midnight’s crocodile tears tho. He never supported A24 before, all he talks about is superhero bullshit and stuff like that. If he cares so much about the type of movies A24 makes, how come he never supported them before? The guy’s got hundreds of thousands of subscribers, he could have contributed to bringing some of them towards lesser known movies. He did not, he only tooted Disney and Warner’s horn. He is part of the problem.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i wonder if A24 movies can make spin offs of super hero movie maybe with dc and marvel characters thou they would need to somehow by pass copyright.

[@synical13]

A24 only picks up films now that fit their style, leading to people producing A24 bait that has little if nothing to do with artistic vision, only notoriety and profit.

[@shadyguy23]

Big studios killed their small and mid budget movies in pursuit of blockbuster hits, leaving openings for A24/Neon/Annapurna to sweep in, and now that A24 is big enough they’re starting to copy the big studios, and the cycle continues

[@chrisjfox8715]

There's a difference between outright greed vs doing what's literally necessary to keep the lights on. It's a remarkable feat that they've been able to crank out nothing but originals for as long as they have, so there comes a point where they have to diversify their portfolio some more to continue to fund the big risks. "De-emphasizing" doesn't mean getting rid of what they've been known for.

[@ToneTitan]

With recent hits like Barbie, Oppenheimer, and yes Godzilla Minus One, A24 might be on to something. Two of those three hits were based on million dollar IPs BUT were different enough to be considered “fresh air”. I understand that it’s a business and revenue is a must. I just hope that they implement this expansion in a way that remains genuine to their core values

[@ethanadams6598]

Godzilla minus one is a really good example. I didn't know about it until the reviews came flooding in about how good the story was that underpinned the action. I feel like A24 can deliver similarly in mainstream genres as well. especially if creative freedom is given to film makers which A24 are known for.

[@manchesterunitedno7]

Don't forget, Barbie's director, Greta Gerwig build her director career from a A24 project, Ladybird.

[@michaelriverside1139]

As a big fan of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Godzilla's Japanese flair, I hope that the IP stuff is something in those veins, giving a big shot at a variety of IP's, from small to big.

[@C-Farsene_5]

It never ceases to make me laugh that Barbie was more polarizing than most risky films that A24 has put out

[@benjaminsente7430]

A24 is nothing more than a hippster-feminist brand.

[@Thephinxst]

Just saw Dream Scenario last week, I loved it so much. I hope that A24 can keep bringing just new and strange media like this.

[@ps2progamer814]

It's a Kristoffer Borgli film. Check out his movie: sick of myself

[@jquest3329]

Dream Scenario felt like the right amount of cringe and anxiety (Beau Is Afraid was too much for too long, but Dream Scenario is just right).

[@unsuccessfullyjari]

No worries. A24 will keep producing, and will keep existing.

[@monkeydude9192]

If it allows them to stay operational and able to give more risky projects chances that wouldn't have otherwise been available, then I'm all for it. Hopefully they don't get sucked into the connected multiverse concept that, while it drags in the views/dollars, just produces ever worse and convoluted projects (i.e. MCU).

[@Gemnist98]

They did do the Multiverse though…

[@monkeydude9192]

@@Gemnist98 Which multiverse are you referring to?

[@Stinkoman87]

@@monkeydude9192 Everything Everywhere All At Once.

[@lustforlimerence]

@@monkeydude9192 i believe they're talking about "everything everywhere all at once", but they're probably joking since the concept of the multiverse is very different in EEAAO than in anything the MCU has put out

[@monkeydude9192]

@@lustforlimerence That's my assumption too

[@desmonddesjarlais2697]

I want A24 to continue producing unusual films. If these mainline IPs can help find it, it'll still be risky. I hope it just gives them new opportunities to show us strange things.

[@MrLaunchpadMcquack]

I'm sad to see the announcement honestly. When Warner Bros. and Disney have signaled that they will only be focusing on IP driven, tentpole blockbusters, A24 has been a stalwart producer of low and mid-budget movies that get weirder or more ambitious. I didn't love EEAAO, but I'm happy it was able to get made and was so impactful to so many people.

[@Aliens1337]

A24 has already been down this path. Beau is Afraid had a budget of $70m. Alex Garland’s Civil War is going to have a budget of around $75m. Obviously that was still low compared to most blockbuster budgets at $200m-$300m, but it was not even close to “indie” budget either. Most indie movie has less than $10m in budget. When your budget is closer to $100m than to $10m, then it’s not really fair to call them indie movies.

[@richperez2168]

And both WB and Disney have signaled that's not exactly working out like they thought it would so there's that.

[@ShadowDolphn]

I’m not going to flame you for not liking a movie, there’s too much of that these days and everyone has different tastes… but I’ve never met a soul who didn’t love EEAAO man that’s wild.

[@richperez2168]

@@ShadowDolphn You must not meet many people. Folks here in America still have an aversion to reading subtitles for two hours. A lot of people still haven't even seen Parasite.

[@MrLaunchpadMcquack]

@@Aliens1337 I don't think I used the word indie, but I get what you're saying. Low and mid-budget are relative terms at the end of the day.

[@RoshDroz]

I've heard the A24 critique before. To me it's just a seal of quality. They hit so much more often than they miss. Better than any other studio right now. It is curated, in a sense. I know they aren't creatives, but they know how to find people that are. Whoever is responsible for that

[@artlesscalamity348]

People underestimate the importance of advocacy and curation - the role of producers and distros. I mean, distribution makes or breaks a movie.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i wonder if A24 movies can make spin offs of super hero movie maybe with dc and marvel characters thou they would need to somehow by pass copyright.

[@ChickenOfTheCaveMan]

They're supposedly adapting Death Stranding, so yeah, it's a known IP but it's far from a blockbuster IP, it's high concept and A24able. I'm not worried with A24, they know what they're doing.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i wonder if A24 movies can make spin offs of super hero movie maybe with dc and marvel characters thou they would need to somehow by pass copyright.

[@morningowl43]

@@jmgonzales7701no. Please god no.

[@jmgonzales7701]

@@morningowl43 they can reinvent it

[@user-x7dc2pq7n]

I honestly hope they last forever. I don't love or even like everything they put out but their gems are worth it

[@firecrakerj3312]

During the Writer’s Strike, I joked that without any major studios left, indie studios like A24 would take over only for them to get corrupted and cause the whole process to start all over again. Now it seems like that it might not be impossible.

[@MK_ULTRA_HDTV]

I wouldnt be too worried. If A24 stops doing what they do, someone else will come along to take their place because there will always be a market for these kind of movies. Neon is already doing a great job of it alongside A24.

[@fabiomcmuffin]

Recently saw Dream Scenario and while I don’t think it’s perfect, I did really like it and it felt so much more fresh and interesting than all of the franchise-driven stuff coming out lately

[@arayapokey]

I think of A24 like a good record label, they pick projects that fit in their vibe. As a consumer, their promotion of it means it will at least have a something in common with their other projects, and I’ll check it out solely based on their involvement.

[@killergrooves2438]

“Payback” starring Mel Gibson is an underrated gem and we’re seriously missing movies of that ilk. “Lucky Number Slevin” is another favorite of mine that feels like it fits into that category of lowkey late 90s-2000s action fare. I wouldn’t mind if A24 started making stuff like that.

[@roscojenkins7451]

Which version of payback?

[@NoirNameless]

A24 having to shop around for new IP, proves Scorsese’s point about modern film. And I have no idea why people still point and laugh as if he’s wrong like we don’t prove his point every weekend when an indie movie fails, but a mediocre franchise film does well. But I will say, A24 is one of the only companies I trust to actually make great stuff with whatever IP they acquire. And admittedly, it’s exciting lol. I don’t blame them. If these movies do well, they can make bigger, more ambitious original films if these make money for the studio. That’s honestly the reason I think they’re doing this most. To invest back into what made the studio so loved and noticed.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i still love super hero movies but logan and the joker opened my eyes on what they can do with those stories and characters by making them different.

[@ItsMeiri]

It's entirely plausible this move is placed in order to generate some cash flow to enable continuing their "boundary-pushing" productions while minimizing risks, as you said.

[@Stinkoman87]

Yeah, I hope it's a "one for them, one for me" scenario where they make the low risk, high profit movies as a way to continue to fund the more artistically daring films. But for now we'll just have to wait and see.

[@hafirenggayuda]

Yea. Pixar used to do this method before

[@ApocalypticRenegade]

If they try to diversify into action films and other bigger projects I would be happy but I don't think they will have quite the same hit rate of success. They made their name by basically making a small amount of more artistic projects and backing weird ideas and more offbeat directors and I hope they don't lose that.

[@jmgonzales7701]

i wonder if A24 movies can make spin offs of super hero movie maybe with dc and marvel characters thou they would need to somehow by pass copyright.

[@ItsJesMe]

I think the brand "identity" of A24 is less akin to a director than it is to something like a record label, or maybe a TV network. People expect A24 to curate or pass on certain types of films, similar to how you'd expect a record label like Sub-Pop to fund and promote certain artists (like Nirvana and Postal Service) while not traditionally working with other artists (like idk... Cardi B or Doja Cat). Occasionally, there may be artists that seem wild for them to sign, but they still play into the general ethos and/or aesthetic of the label's brand. I will say it *could* be disappointing if A24's attention shifted away from independent creators and narratives, in favor of bigger money chasing trends. However, I've also never been one who ascribed to the idea of people "selling out" just because an "Artist" took steps to make their passion more profitable. A24 will have to, either, have a plan to make their current identity scale larger or do a good job of changing or expanding their identity to include more "mainstream" tastes and trends. Neither is necessarily bad, but they each can be hard to pull off. And I hope that the "indies" they've made paths for up to this point still end up with a place to be made (even if another company has to emerge in A24's place).

[@AdamSoucyDrums]

It does make me a little nervous, but I do trust their tastes over at A24 to make stuff that has broader appeal with an interesting angle. There’s definitely a hole in the market right now for stuff like this considering how Disney and WB have been treating their creatives

[@mark_my_words_]

A24 has produced/distributed nearly all of my favorite movies from the last decade, hopefully they continue to produce unique, boundary pushing movies.

[@moxxibekk]

I could see them filling the space HBO left as far as being known for prestige films accessible to a wider audience.

[@sulgrave_]

This is what I come to your channel for. Would love a bit longer take with A24 movies. Happy to see you branch out creatively, but stuff like this is what keeps me subscribed

[@benwasserman8223]

Between Beau is Afraid, Past Lives, Dream Scenario and Talk to Me, amonst many others, A24's got no signs of slowing down. Hopefully they keep that creative spark alive going forward - though EEAAO is a hard bar of creative weirdness to top.

[@anonymousnudibranch7444]

I appreciate what you said about the "A24 vibe" and how people will recognize the studio before the director. This really bothered me with the reviews and discussion around "A24's 'Men'" as if people didn't know who Alex Garland was.

[@hopekeeley2122]

Id love it if they combined the compelling character drama with more mainstream action fare, sort of in the vein of everything everywhere all at once.

[@maxpops8427]

I think otherwise. The last thing I want to see in an action movie is boring drama

[@hopekeeley2122]

@@maxpops8427 drama can be entertaining when blended properly with the plot. Just look at Godzilla minus one

[@Rembreiker_lychec9257]

The A24 logo in itself has become a mark of quality. If you step into a theater and see the logo on the screen you know you’re goin to see a good quality movie.

[@jonathanwalls8106]

No, you’re using the A24 logo as confirmation bias.

[@ryanarcher9881]

I mean they have put out some shit

[@ccateni28]

That's like saying if you see the Sega logo, you know you're in for a quality time. Not every game or movie or show is going to be good.

[@Vorelociraptor]

@@ryanarcher9881while they have put out some shit, i feel like the ratio of shit to good is a lot better for A24 than a lot of other production companies who just end up burying a ton of their movies and pretending they didn’t come out

[@waffleboyzehc7510]

😂

[@WordUnheard]

I hated Beau Is Afraid, but I admire A24 for giving Ari Aster total control on a movie they most likely knew was going to be a box-office flop. They showed loyalty to a director who definitely earned it. I can't even watch Hereditary again. It was like a two hour long panic attack, and I loved it. But that movie shook me to my core in a way no horror movie has since I was a kid in the 1980s. I'm glad I watched it in a theater though. 15-20 people having one shared panic attack was an experience to say the least. When the light pole scene happened, I heard a kid who must have been around 11 or 12 ask, "Did she just..." and that was the last thing he said. It was nothing but gasps and groans afterwards. They all seemed to love it though.

[@colbymclemore7642]

Not really worried about them expanding their output when they essentially litter each year with such unique and creative films. Dream Scenario was fantastic.

[@LiquidChamploo]

We don’t talk about A24’s fails enough. They give so many creatives chances to be seen, I just show up to the theater and buy my tickets to A24 films these days. They give me hope that this vintage movie going experience can live forever.

[@crashchannel_2787]

So in a time when the theaters are dominated mostly by studios like Disney trying to make blockbuster movies. You very rarely see an art house style movie in theaters any more. When you do it's usually an A24 film. This is why a lot of ppl will say it feels like an A24 film. They're referring to art house films but art house isn't used much these days in a world dominated by studio corporations.

[@jackdreas4415]

I think if they get some lesser known properties or ones that just need a good creative vision behind it to be executed correctly then I can see this plan working.

[@morgankw89]

I'm not worried yet. I think A24 are the best ones to produce some larger budget movies, because I trust they'll be great films in those kind of genres. As long as they also keep producing the weird shit, all good.

[@Kira1Lawliet]

I think it's important to remember that for as good as A24 has been, they're not above losing their way. Power corrupts. Money corrupts. Disney and Pixar are both companies that started out as underdog studios with fresh bold ideas and consistent quality, but now look at where they are. A24 is not above being influenced by its own profits and success, and we shouldn't be naive to the possibility that their meteoric rise might lead to them wanting to switch camps and play more with the big boys of the industry, leaving behind all the auteur-driven projects that made them famous. They're still my favorite film studio working right now, but that's not outside the reach of change. We should be mindful of what can happen, and be wary of the direction they're going. And more than anything, we need to be proactive in supporting their most artistic projects over anything else, to let them know which stuff we want to keep seeing from them.

[@Oonagh72]

I think this is a smart business move. Make the work that is almost guaranteed a profit to fund your riskier films.

[@theoldgods8229]

The big studios are wounded and A24 senses their weakness so they’re going to try to fill the void with bigger budget movies

[@peterfrank3365]

I think I would welcome A24 venturing into IPs and action blockbusters. But it'd be a damn shame if they lose their auteur sensibility, both for the blockbuster landscape and A24's own sake. This year hasn't been a good one for blockbusters and staleness is a larger factor as to why. They've gotten more and more corporate. If A24 wants to cross to that ocean, they have to be bold. They need that auteur drive. But it's still a shame that they have to come to this at all. I thought 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' winning Best Picture was going to be game-changing.

[@themikx2939]

I didn’t even know about this until your video. I’ll be cautiously optimistic about this one. If they can connect with auteur filmmakers for these action and big IP projects and give them creative freedom then I’m all for it

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

Here's why I like A24: It doesn't lean too hard into arthouse or rebel cinema despite it's indie vibe. I find most of its catalog extremely accessible. But what separates it from other studios is the lack of constraints. A movie like Hereditary gets to be a lot viler than a major studio allows. And as far as I'm concerned, it needs to be. Because that's the movie it's trying to be. And even on the non horror side, stuff like Beau is Afraid is just allowed to take the time it needs to take to tell the story and the studio trusts the filmmaker. If the world wants to find the next Wes Anderson or similar auteur, it absolutely needs a studio like A24 to let them establish themselves.

[@LokiDWolf-im7jg]

I LOVE A24! It's so refreshing to see things that they and IGN put out to me. I don't expect everything to be successful. But, wow, been a fun journey so far. And to me, as odd as it may sound, the audience has to trust the decisions studios like A24 do. As well as, be there for them when it flops. Because everything has to be questioned it seems like folks would be expecting some form of perfection. Instead of the risk to try and create something artistic.

[@-umph]

Oh my gosh, i didn't know about 'the curse', im halfway through the first episode and it's phenomenal, thank you!

[@captainmidnight]

Episode 5 was crazy! Glad you’re checking it out

[@-umph]

​​​​@@captainmidnightI started episode 3 now. The growing sense of dread, the slow, slow buildup. And it's Fielder so I expect an insane twist. Some of the jokes are so sudden and so fast, I know I've missed several. It's like Arrested Development by Hitchcock. Love your vids keep up the good work 👍

[@HanmaHeiro]

I'd be down for more coverage. I feel you are one of my few unique sources for insight on movies and tv shows.

[@JoshTaylor-xw5jg]

I think something has to foot the bill. The old saying goes "everyone is an artist until rent is due." So if it takes some IP or action movies to provide some funding for some weird indie stuff, I'm all here for it.

[@dustinswarb9190]

A24 is the powerhouse of indie film making ❤❤❤❤❤ hope to one day sell one of my stories to them.

[@guitarfreak80ftw]

I love A24. Ex Machina, Beau Is Afraid, and EEAAO are incredible.

[@D.M.Mortem]

Talk To Me is also really good

[@ps2progamer814]

It's beause of directors Alex Garland, Ari Aster and Daniel borthers. Without them A24 movies wouldnt be good

[@guitarfreak80ftw]

@@ps2progamer814 What about Robert Eggers? Or Sofia Coppola? This comment just seems odd to me because it feels wholly redundant. You’re essentially saying “it’s thanks to good directors that A24 distributes good movies.” Well, yes. That’s how moviemaking works…

[@ps2progamer814]

@@guitarfreak80ftw I named directors of the movies you mentioned. I thought that you thought that those movies are great because of A24.

[@guitarfreak80ftw]

@@ps2progamer814 oh no. Those are just some of my favorite A24 films 👍🏼👍🏼 Just miscommunication haha

[@timbodia1]

I really think you are selling what A24 has done short. Art curation, and building an identity for your studio based off good taste rather than control, is an admirable feat. Disney creates there brand through overbearing producers and studio mandates. A24 on the other hand purchased projects already built and still managed to create a distinct vibe around their studio. I know which system I respect more.

[@anonymous6705]

I wish A24 started with IPs like underrated fantasy literature (The Elric Saga seems right up their alley) rather than Friday the 13th...

[@rootfish2671]

I would kill to see Stormbringer and the golden battle barge on the big screen

[@finndelimatamay1983]

I mean, on one level, it shouldn't be a surprise. All the major studios started out being known for their ground-breaking original films and other projects, before getting too comfortable with their success and not wanting to lose it. It seems to be the cycle of movie studios. And yes, while A24 was a great antithesis to the IP-driven franchise problem that Hollywood has been suffering from, I don't think one studio would have been able to solve it. That requires a major re-haul on every level.

[@simplyepic1732]

i think a24 need to adapt a pirate graphic novel by a youtuber to achieve success

[@wstine79]

That would be awesome.

[@Nio744]

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Yeah sure why not.

[@sirantler4616]

The Under The Silver Lake shoutout is crazy, i fucking love that movie and they totally boned its distribution

[@Fucker666Miau]

The issue is not abouth wether the movies are artsy or IPs, but abouth the quality. Did we enjoy The Dark Knight, Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Joker? Yes, perhaps most of us following this channel probably did, even though they are commercially-driven and quite different among each other. Were they artsy? No. But they were carefully crafted and that's what ultimately matters.

[@EJK2099]

Imagine A24 making a cool movie based on Mandrake/Tintin/Phantom or some other retro IP that could take off

[@ThePrinceofHisOwnKingdom]

Or Doc Savage

[@rootfish2671]

Tintin is still a pretty big IP in Europe, Spielberg made a Tintin animated movie

[@wowsuchname1939]

I’ve been saying how frustrating the whole ‘omg new a24 film!’ Thing is frustrating for a while now. Realistically they’ve just nailed branding. I’d even go as far to say one of the most recognisable production companies. Was talking to somebody at a party (back when middommar came out)and she was going on about how cool ‘a24 films are’ and like you said, attributing the style to the studio. I just feel they’ve managed to take art and boil it down to their brand image, it’s seemingly happened pretty organically. I think it’s just a funny note in how people consume. They love a film but don’t care for the people involved/their contribution like you said, it’s no different to how people view marvel films! And I guess it’s no different to how other studios have leaned on this historically either. Think it’s just more in your face now because of social media, I feel i cannot escape the annoying videos and comments like ‘this is really serving a24 vibes’ But I can see it, they invest in lots of films which the rest of the industry wouldn’t go anywhere near. Whilst I love that, I find the obsession with the production company kinda wacky.

[@captlanc]

I wouldn't call it wacky since most of people's favorite movies come out of A24 in the past few years. They deserve the recognition and the trust, just like Marvel and Pixar had in the past.

[@actualnotanewbie]

I think both A24 and Angel Studios are uniquely positioned to take over Hollywood if studios like Disney keeps banking on high budget movies that repeatedly bomb.

[@Gemnist98]

Angel Studios? The company that promoted the conspiracy theory of liberals running a pedophilia ring when the filmmakers themselves were ACTUALLY doing rapey stuff? Fuck that.

[@blackosprey2219]

Yup. Just like the 80s all over again.

[@MrSmith1984]

Realistically that ain't going to happen, I mean Angel Studios only had the 1 hit film up to this point while A24 will probably be bought up by one of the Big 5 or Lionsgate. There is a reason why Disney are the only Studio since the 1930s to join the ranks of the Hollywood elite. With an exception to the Streamers such as Netflix, Amazon & Apple.

[@actualnotanewbie]

​@@MrSmith1984it's not just about films, they also make The Chosen, which is one of the most popular new shows of the past 5 years All that said Angel Studios is dozens of miles behind A24, despite doing impressively well for its age

[@MrSmith1984]

@@actualnotanewbie I don't deny that Angel Studios does have One Hit Film and One Popular TV Series. But for them to reach the Mini-Major status like Lionsgate, they need to offer a lot more than that. Which would have to involve making content that appeals beyond their current target market.

[@eastsidereviews727]

Big reason why I'm looking forward to the upcoming "The Iron Claw" is because it's coming from A24.

[@AnxMa]

Sorry about this side track but could you consider creating a tribute to the late and amazing Kevin Conroy? He passed away last November, and was the sole reason I got into acting. I have a voice acting background and there are some preconceived notions that it's not as demanding as regular acting; but the vocal training itself and perfecting the craft may take more time than any acting school. l feel like he's underrated as Batman (ditto Mark Hamill as Joker) and even non existent in the conversation. PS. You almost saw me as Leon in those new Resident Evil games :)

[@zakuraiyadesu]

Love the videos, man. Keep it up!!!

[@ant3]

I hope having them work on movies that will likely be big sellers can benefit them in the long run and I do hope that even if they make less character driven / independent stories I hope they use the money to still support and release those types of movies.

[@Steeldragon493]

I've been (Im)patiently wait for Iron Claw, looking forward to it next week

[@lad9732]

They need to use IPs that have not been beaten to the ground but are recognizable and could use a directors eye to revitalize them. They need a guaranteed hit a year to have films like Beau not seem like a gamble. They could even go for recognizable historical figures that for some reason have no big hollywood films on them as well. It could work.

[@MVPMVE]

I say go back to literature. Go for weirder adaptations, like Slaughterhouse Five, or twist a classic story, like The Green Knight, or what Guy Ritchie tried with King Arthur, but successful lol. Or try to bring back the YA/children's novel adaptations. I would love to see A24 adapt Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins' other series The Underland Chronicles for a movie franchise, or for them to wrestle Artemis Fowl away from Disney and redo it accurately and darker (Artemis Fowl was one of my favorites growing up; Disney's bastardization almost _killed_ me). The Bartimaeus Trilogy is a lot of fun! Or do more grounded children's stories, but NOT Nancy Drew. The Hardy Boys, Sammy Keyes, and The Boxcar Children are great children's mystery series. Or work with Peter Jackson and bring me more Tinitin!! There's so much out there that would be safer bets or more mainstream while still retaining their indie sensibilities!

[@mttylerdurden9]

They could also team up with Dark horse, Boom, IDW and image comics and adapt some of their comic book ips.

[@michaelwhitehead6594]

A24 is currently in talks with Kane Pixels to bring The Back Rooms to cinema. The nature of the Backrooms won't be entrenched in action as its existential horror and Kane has been the best presenting the concept so far.

[@ryanking6433]

nice video, I think you may have over looked their recent investors and the pressure being put on A24 by them to go in this direction. Subscribed for your comic

[@ClicheDudeStuff]

Just starting the video so no idea what it’s about but I thoroughly enjoyed Dream Scenario and just feel the need to share

[@AndyGattis]

It would really blow if they leveraged all their goodwill they've built as a successful mid-budget film company who takes risks to just emulate famously disastrous business models their new business partner Warner Discovery.

[@Morbos1000]

I think this won't work out well for them because it isn't like they are moving into unoccupied territory. There are already a lot of top tier big budget Hollywood studios already making big budget blockbusters. What will A24 have to offer in that space that Sony, Disney, Warner, etc. don't already offer? Their success has come from becoming the dominant studio for movies too small or too weird for the big studios to take a chance on. In small to medium budget movies you can have a few misses and still be ok. A single big budget flop can potentially kill all but the biggest studios.

[@rootfish2671]

If they make weird offbeat action movies like Everything Everywhere All At Once Im fir it

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

I actually like the idea of a Jason or Freddy Kruger show if it’s done like a mini series where each season is 10 episodes and wraps up one story (similar to one movie).

[@jonathantefft2902]

I love A24! Any time I see a trailer open up with their logo it doesn't matter what comes after it, the movie instantly goes on my watch list.

[@PikaGasMask]

who says they won't make art-house action films? it's totally possible, i just hope they choose the right directors/crews to do so.

[@dougtheheavy]

For the algorithm. Love your stuff, Dude.

[@fretstain]

is it just pure coincidence that you put this out like a day before their Civil War trailer? impeccable timing.

[@Blietzflame845]

I got to give A24 props all their movies are available at my local library digitally

[@claytonrios1]

Hopefully it gives us some exciting new IPs that the other big studios are hesitant to go for.

[@keatonhanson43]

I view this as them expanding their repertoire so to speak. After seeing the trailer for their upcoming “Civil War” I’m very interested to see what fresh ideas a writer or director can play with under A24

[@fatizzle716]

Really thoughtful content.

[@TwinRiver100]

2:00 I honestly wouldn't mind their stuff being on Max. Just easier and nice to have there.

[@fulltimeslackerii8229]

when ppl say “A24 vibe”, i think they mean stuff like Ladybird or Juno. movies that are character driven and feel very “slice of life”

[@hue.main1]

I’m excited to see that A24 is apart of making a Death Stranding live adaptation. I love Norman Reedus so I’m happy to see him again, especially since I’m just tired of him only being known for Daryl in TWD. He IS a good actor, he needs more recognition. But idk, maybe it was his choice to not pursue other projects.

[@ChristopherIScool127]

I think you said it best in the video. If all they end up keeping, out of everything that makes them who they are to fans, is the slick marketing, I would prefer they not change a thing. That being said, I hope they do IP and action better than I could ever imagine they would.

[@scottmalone9161]

I agree with most of your take, although I will say that a movie having an "A24 vibe" has been one of the best things that has happened to "arthouse" movies in recent years. If I see a trailer and see that it's from A24, I can pretty much guarantee that it will be a uniquely creative movie. A24 has proved that trusting your director to fulfill their vision CAN pay dividends and while there are a surprising amount of times where studio interference actually helped a film, in most cases it would be best to greenlight projects that have some sort of artistic vision and trust the process. The partnership with Max I think could be a good thing long term as it will hopefully expose more people to these more creative films that go against the mold of a lot of other modern cinema

[@blackosprey2219]

Yeah, nothing wrong with your brand name becoming shorthand for "experimental, creative, high-quality" It'd be a problem only if they lose sight of actually being those things, and start chasing surface level vibes and trends.

[@iceman_2510]

I think that the low performance of some MCU movies like Antman 3 or Marvels shows that there’s no one exact way to make it big in Hollywood. Most of the time, there’s going to be a gamble in anything you make. However, the demand for superhero movies is declining, as there’s been such a huge supply of them for over a decade now. The reason people like A24 is because they offer films that feel original and are a breath of fresh air. If they lose that part of their business model, they’re going to hurt their reputation and potentially their profits. People don’t follow A24 for action films and huge IP’s; they follow Disney and Warner Bros for that. Even if Disney and WB isn’t doing as well as the used to, it’s their territory and I’m not sure A24 will survive gambling on this change. I’m not against them trying to branch out, but I just hope it doesn’t hurt the chances of them producing/distributing original and low budget films.

[@theenoogie]

Enjoyed em for years and cheers to what’s coming

[@chrisjfox8715]

It all comes down to how they handle it. "De-emphasizing" doesn't mean getting rid of bold and indie style projects altogether, it just means they're restructuring the diversification of their portfolio - in fact, that's a very specific word choice. In the business of filmmaking, you gotta hedge your bets with a combination of risky moves coupled with relatively surer bets. In fact, it's a remarkable feat that they've had the amount of success they've had spending over a decade releasing nothing but originals! A transition towards a more 60ish-40ish split in either direction is welcome. If many of the same core execs are behind it, then I'm sure they'll continue to have the same eye for what makes a film worthy of distribution whether original of existing IP. Regardless of what happens, it's okay if this doesn't work out..since things have a tendency to have their run until they don't anymore. But I'm quite optimistic about the whole thing tbh

[@joshuacoldwater]

5:47 - I’m not sure you know how A24 ACTUALLY began. It wasn’t in production, they were a distribution company. They bought Spring Breakers after the film was complete, then distributed it. They then owned the IP. They worked this way for the first few years. Moonlight was their first production. Since then, they have backed off of purchasing completed IPs. If you compare their films as a distributor to their films now, it isn’t even close. They were buying the right films at the right time. Last year was also amazing for them with EEAAO, The Whale, BEEF, and Euphoria. That being said, they placed more funds into films that did not do well than they normally do. Their announcement was just to let creators who have already filmed an action film know that they can now contact A24 because they are now in the distribution business again. They are also remaining in the production business, the distribution business is just a way to make sure that they can continue to invest in films like EEAAO without their company falling out.

[@danielthompson4900]

In the last week or so, they've dropped a trailer for the action flick "Civil War" from Alex Garland and announced they're going to adapt Death Stranding into a film. If THAT'S what they mean, letting their weird directors do bigger movies and finding weird IP to adapt, then they probably won't tarnish the brand. But yeah, I also hope they keep letting new up-and-coming people do their whacky little movies so hat they can become names in their own right.

[@samdelunasd]

I love it and have been watching them for years. Imagine an A24 marvel movie / Alien / blade runner

[@MythicalP]

Dear comic book writer, thank you for doing videos about sooo many cool things

[@jonathanjamescull2923]

Love the vids keep it up

[@gray4675]

My hope is that the money they bring in from the big ip movies will set them up to produce those riskier films with less of a burden. And if the action and ip movies they produce are actually good, then this could be a win win. Of course that could totally not be what happens, but one could hope

[@Deletaste]

The trailer of Civil War already looks like a action blockbuster action movie.

[@jspaingreene6350]

Thank you for your balanced and interesting report. I confess I'm concerned, but I want to believe this is a pragmatic move to help fund the types of films they are known for. It's the way they worded the statement; it's nebulous..."deemphasising the traditional character/auteur-driven dramas." Everything Everywhere is not strictly a drama, it's genre bending, so if they mean they're moving in that direction...I'm for it.

[@ArcticVolcano]

I think ip is scary only so far as the first thing that comes to mind is “A24 Star Wars,” or something else that doesn’t fit the brand at all, but I think Friday the 13th fits well if it’s done in a fresh way. Also they’re working with Hideo Kohima on a Death Stranding movie, and that is anything but a ‘typical’ ip.

[@TheA1M4fame]

I would love to hear your take on the future of Laika studios.

[@rubberlover666]

I never thought about A24 as sort of "art house" training wheels, but I guess that's pretty apt? I love the F13th series and hope they go buckwild with it. Or at least do anything mildly interesting.

[@yousufseedat7736]

I find myself seeing more A24 movies than any other studio's

[@spacewinter]

Theyre doing a Death Stranding movie, a very unique IP. I think they're still going for originality

[@HarvestStore]

Great video.

[@phatalphd5402]

this is sad to hear...I get excited whenever I see that A24 come....hope they don't lose their spirit

[@leftboxanderson5361]

They had such a great run. So I’m apprehensive of this change but lije great tv, success breeds opportunity for writers and directors to move onto bigger things so the studio would never remain the same with so much success.

[@guidocampostrini]

I love this dude, thanks

[@petermgruhn]

There was a studio or two back in the 80s... even into the 90s... that we all pretty much said "Oh, a new ---------- film. We'll probably want to check it out." A24 is not new.