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Filmmaking

Movie Release Dates – The Best Time To Release A Movie

Photograph of the blog post author, Jodie Francis

Jodie Francis

5.7.2023

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There is so much time, energy, and thought that goes into creating a movie from start to finish. It’s almost such a relief when it’s completed that you forget for a few minutes about the release date! Movie release dates are super important, as they can play into your movie marketing strategy. As well as greatly affect your ratings and reviews. 

movie release dates

Plus, movies now have to compete with all the streaming platforms and actually persuade people to go to the cinema. So, would you like to learn more about a movie release date? If so, then you have definitely come to the right place!

In this article, we will detail what the best movie release dates are considered to be, as well as the best time to release a movie. So, make sure that you keep reading to ensure that your movie hits theatres at the correct time! 

Movie Release Dates – Best Time To Release A Movie

So, now let’s put the focus onto movies and release dates.

Did you know that some future movie releases even announce their release date years before the film is even made? This is how competitive things have become in the movie business!

Let’s break down how studios select their movie release schedule. 

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Timing 

Timing

It’s all about timing and getting the most people sat down in seats. Think logically about what your movie is about. Is it a romantic comedy? Then try and release it around Valentine’s Day or the weekend of the holiday.

If you’ve made a family-friendly film then consider releasing it in summer or during the Easter holiday while the children aren’t at school. After all, parents will be desperately searching for ways to keep their children entertained!

Moreover, Christmas movies are always going to do better at the box office during the lead-up to Christmas. After all, it wouldn’t be logical to release a Christmas film during the summer months. 

Interestingly, some months and particular weekends are highly regarded as being best-selling days. In fact, the majority of movie tickets are actually sold during the summer months. People are seeking a break from the sun in a cool air-conditioned movie theatre.

However, it’s vital to keep in mind that major sporting events take place in summer, therefore, maybe don’t release your movie on the days that they take place!

Create Excitement

Creating Excitment

This comes back to announcing upcoming film releases way ahead of time. There is tough competition these days with so many mainstream movies to choose from.

Studios recognise that they are competing with so many other great movies at the box office. Therefore, if they miscalculate the movie release date, then it can be disastrous for studios in terms of profit. 

So, what are studios doing? Announcing their release dates early! This way, they can make a claim on a date and generate a buzz around it. However, this can’t be allowed to affect the quality of the film. The last thing the studio wants is for the audience to believe they are watching a rushed and poorly executed movie. 

This can lead to some studios going head-to-head! For example, for the movie ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’, the Warner Brothers studio decided upon a release date of May 6th, 2016. However, Marvel also wanted this date and announced it for the movie ‘Captain America: Civil War’. To avoid conflicts, Warner Brothers decided to move their release date to March 25th, 2016. 

Avoid Dump Months 

Avoid Dump Months

One of the number one rules that studios appear to follow when it comes to movie release dates is avoiding dump months. So, what do we mean by dump months? They are deemed the months out of the year when movie theatres play movies with less critical expectations or buzz surrounding them. 

Dump months are considered to be late in the summer when everyone is going back to school and work, and after the Christmas season has passed. The months of January and February are the main dump months for movie release dates. However, sometimes March can also be considered to be a dump month. 

Of course, dump month won’t apply to every movie, as there have been many successes during dump months.

A prime example of this occurred back in January 1991, and surprisingly, it was ‘Silence Of The Lambs’. This movie even won the Academy Award for Best Picture and plenty more accolades. What’s more, dump months can be a great time for undiscovered gems to be released, like independent movies or low-budget horror movies

Overall, it would be wise to try and avoid dump months if you can, as it may not be worth the risk of your movie flopping at the box office. 

How To Distribute Independent Films

There are many ways to distribute independent films, here are just a few that you can try.

Film Festivals

Submitting your film to film festivals can help it gain exposure and potentially attract distributors.

Online Platforms

Distribute your film on online platforms such as Vimeo, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix.

Self-Distribution

You can distribute your film independently by booking screenings at theaters, selling DVDs or Blu-rays, and creating your own website to sell digital downloads.

Distributors

Work with a distributor who can help get your film in front of a wider audience.

Educational and Institutional Sales

You can also distribute your film to educational institutions such as universities and schools for use in classrooms.

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Our Final Thoughts – Movie Release Dates

movie release dates

So, there we have it – everything that you need to know about movie release dates!

We hope that we have left you feeling more knowledgeable about when is the best time to release a movie. It’s vital that you consider what type and genre of film you have created and be able to time this successfully so that the film can find the best audience. 

What’s more, you could consider announcing your movie release date ahead of time, to generate a buzz around your upcoming movie. This strategy can come with a few risks, as you want to avoid going back on your word. Therefore, before announcing this, you should ensure that the film is on track to be finalised by the correct date. 

Finally, consider avoiding releasing your movie during dump months as this could negatively impact how people view it and lead them to judge it before they’ve even seen it.

Would you like to read more helpful content like this article? Then make sure that you head over to Мusic Gateway! There are articles there about the Best Camera for Music Videos, How to Become a Filmmaker, How to Make a Short Film, and so much more!  


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