In less than a month theaters around the world will be showing Star Wars: The Last Jedi. However, the residents of the small Iowa town known as Elkader will have to travel elsewhere to watch what is considered by many to be the year’s most anticipated film. Owner of the Elkader theater, Lee Akins, spoke with the Des Moines Register about why his theater won’t be showing The Last Jedi:
“The biggest reason that I’m not going to show it is the four-week minimum play time. My little town cannot afford to play any movie for that long of a time.”
It is understandable that it would be hurtful for a small theaters such as the one in Elkader, to have to use a screen for the same movie for a month, as Akins explains below, the time period is just unnecessary for towns such as Elkader:
“I can’t get the entire town in my auditorium in one week’s time let alone four.”
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Disney’s four week requirement for showing the film is a bummer for Star Wars fans in Elkader, Iowa. The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney is also taking a record high of around 65% of ticket sales for the film, which is also hurtful to smaller theaters. Perhaps Disney could make exceptions for towns that have smaller populations, and adjust both the show time and percentage of the ticket take.
Should Disney try to help out the little guy? Let us know in the comments down below!