← The Town with Matthew Belloni
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- [00:00]
Bill Simmons
This is Bill Simmons and I want to tell you about my movie podcast, the Rewatchables, where each week I'm joined by ringer movie lovers Chris Ryan, Sean Vanity, Van Lathan, Kyle Brandt, Mallory Rubin. We have a whole bunch of people on we talk about movies we can't stop rewatching. And now you can watch us cover these movies on video in the Spotify app. We have covered over 350 movies including Heat, Goodfellas, Boogie Nights, Pulp Fiction. We have some real heavy hitters coming up here in 2025. Make sure to follow us on Spotify, where you can watch every new episode. Right now, just head to the Rewatchables on Spotify now on video.
- [00:39]
Matt Bellany
This episode of the Town is sponsored by Netflix presenting Rebel Ridge. The Critics Choice Award winner is now an Emmy Award nominee for Outstanding TV movie. Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and the Associated Press all declare Rebel Ridge one of the best movies of the year. This episode is brought to you by FX's alien Earth. From creator Noah Hawley and executive producer Ridley Scott comes the first television series inspired by the legendary Alien film franchise. A spaceship crash lands on Earth, bringing five unique and deadly species more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined. And a technological advancement marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. FX's Alien Earth premieres August 12th on on FX and Hulu. It is Friday, August 8th. We've talked a lot on the show about the battle between YouTube and Netflix for the most attention in streaming video. That war is being fought for engagement, of course, or time spent on the platform. And YouTube is winning that war because the service is filled with a huge volume of user generated non premium content. Netflix may have less engagement, but it's premium curated. Special Special. Netflix pays for the content it carries rather than people who upload for free and get revenue shares. No real star or filmmaker would take their movie to YouTube before it debuts on Netflix, right? Well, not always. A new Bollywood movie called Stars on Earth caught my eye. Not because I'm particularly into Indian movies. No disrespect, it's a fun sports dramedy about some kids with disabilities who compete in a basketball tournament. It's because Stars on Earth went to theaters in June in India, where it grossed about $30 million, one of the higher grossing movies of the year. There's and then it went directly to YouTube, not Netflix or Prime Video or any of the other traditional subscription streamers. It's now available to rent in India for about a dollar. And it's in 38 other countries too, including the US and Canada at various price points. Sounds like a traditional video on demand window, of course, which is common in the US But India doesn't really have VOD and its windows in theaters are short, similar to the US often. So this is a pretty unprecedented move. There's question is why? Turns out this was a deliberate choice by its star and producer, Aamir Khan. Khan is a very successful movie star in India. He's basically the Tom Hanks of Hindi films. And he's known for projects that raise social awareness as well. His company produced Stars on Earth and rather than doing a traditional pre sale for the film where rights are sold before the movie is made, he held onto those rights. And when the $11 million budgeted film became a hit, he got an offer for about $14 million from a subscription streamer and turned it down to take no money upfront from YouTube in exchange for a revenue share on the rentals. Is that a good deal? It'll depend. It's certainly cheaper for fans to pay $1 than the price of a monthly subscription. And YouTube has about 500 million users in India. By comparison, Netflix has only about 12 million subscribers. It's growing though. On demand movie rentals are not new. The premium video on demand window is increasingly popular in the U.S. but choosing YouTube over a subscription streamer is much rarer, especially in a country like India. So I wanted to have Amir on the show to explain why he did it. Today it's a real life Indian movie star and how to skip Netflix and Amazon to use YouTube to distribute your movie. Maybe even make more money in the process. From the ringer and puck, I'm Matt Bellany and this is the town. Okay. We are here with Amir Khan, actor, producer, entrepreneur. Now I want to get all your hyphenates in there. Make sure. Welcome.
- [04:17]
Aamir Khan
Thank you. Thank you, Matthew.
- [04:19]
Matt Bellany
Okay, so I want to be clear on what this strategy is and isn't. Because there's a lot of different distribution strategies these days. I feel like every everybody is kind of innovating from a place of what's next. Theaters work for some movies, theaters don't work for others. Streaming services can be great for a film, other times they're not ideal. So explain to us exactly what this is that you are doing with this movie.
- [04:51]
Aamir Khan
Well, Matthew, just to take you a little bit further back, for the last 15 years I've been struggling with one thought and that is that India, being a large country with a huge population, unfortunately doesn't have enough cinemas. The density of cinemas is not as much as it Ideally should be US has 35,000. I believe US is roughly 1 third our population. China is similar to our population, has about 90,000. We have 9,000, out of which half are servicing the South Indian states, which have a different language cinema. So essentially we are dealing with about 5,000 screens, 5,000 theaters.
- [05:31]
Matt Bellany
Wow. I wish we could import some. We have too many in this country.
- [05:36]
Aamir Khan
So I was struggling with this thought that the biggest hits in Indian cinema, in Hindi cinema for sure, the number of population that actually gets to see a film in theaters is roughly between 2 to 3%. And this is for the biggest successes. So the question that where do the remaining 97 people, 97% people get to watch the film? It's usually either through piracy when it comes on satellite. Satellite is a big, big platform. That's where a huge number of Indians watch the film.
- [06:07]
Matt Bellany
And that's because of low penetration rates for Internet, right?
- [06:11]
Aamir Khan
Yeah, that was the case. But Internet penetration has now grown dramatically. So at that time I was wondering, because as a creative person, I want to reach my audience. I want to reach each and every person. I think it's also, it's my responsibility. I feel in some way that I should make the attempt to reach them. And for many years I was trying to figure out how we can go about it. And then three things happened. One is Internet penetration grew a lot in India. The other thing that happened is that the government of India came out with something called upi, which is a payment system, a secure payment system through electronic payments, etc. And that really caught on in India. And in fact, India today is the number one country for electronic payments. So when these two things were in place, I was thinking that now is the time where we can, in fact, if not through brick and mortar screens, theaters, at least we can try and reach people through the Internet. And that's when I came up with this thought that perhaps YouTube is the right platform, purely from the point of view that YouTube is almost everywhere. Almost every Indian uses YouTube. It's all over the world. And it's a platform that a lot of people use. So putting these three things together allows my film to now reach everyone. Whether they choose to rent it or not is their decision. But at least from my side, I'm trying to make every effort to reach everyone.
- [07:30]
Matt Bellany
So the movie went to theaters. You grossed about 30 million in theaters and US dollars, which is one of the bigger hits of the year. You have options. You have said in other interviews, but that one of the platforms offered $14 million to stream the film.
- [07:46]
Aamir Khan
I must just warn you, my math is not very good. So I don't know how it converts to dollars.
- [07:51]
Matt Bellany
Yeah, this was according to the media coverage of the deal. So 14 million bucks on the table. And you say, no, you would like to go to YouTube and take $0 and get a revenue share of that money. So it sounds like if you do the math here, and it's a, a dollar a rental that you would need to. Let's say you do 50, 50 with YouTube. I don't know what the split is. You can feel free to tell us. But if it's 50, 50, you need to sell $28 million worth of rentals to break even here. Is that the goal? Is that. Do you think you can do that? Are you on your way? You've been out, You've been out for a week now?
- [08:34]
Aamir Khan
Well, we've been out for about four, five days. There are two, three questions in yours. I'll try and answer all of them. One of the things that I was really keen on is to be able to reach everyone today. At the end of this exercise, at least every Indian, or almost every Indian has the ability to see my film. And I think that is one of the biggest barriers I've broken. I think it's also a new thing. I think people are not used to paying on YouTube. So that is one of the challenges, because YouTube is a user generated platform. Platform. And so people are used to consuming free content on YouTube.
- [09:06]
Matt Bellany
Right? That's the big thing, is they're not used to going to this movies on demand portion of YouTube.
- [09:12]
Aamir Khan
That's right. That's right. So that was one of the challenges pointed out to me. And what I've always felt is that the window after theatrical onto OTT platforms in India, I feel is too short. It's too short a window. And that window doesn't work for me. I feel it also cannibalizes theatrical business.
- [09:29]
Matt Bellany
Well, explain that, because the streamers obviously don't want any window. I mean, this is a huge issue in the U.S. netflix will not put its movies in theaters. The theaters won't even play them, because they want to go day and date, put them on the streamer the same day. And Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, has been very clear. He doesn't believe people want movies in theaters. They want them at home. And obviously the artistic community disagrees with him in many ways. So in India, it's the same way where the window is short and you want to elongate that window. How does doing this elongate the window.
- [10:06]
Aamir Khan
So there are two things to this. OTT platforms in India, they form a very small subset of the Indian audience.
- [10:14]
Matt Bellany
Yeah. Netflix, according to them, has 12 million subscribers in India.
- [10:19]
Aamir Khan
Yeah. But we have a population of 1.4 billion.
- [10:22]
Matt Bellany
Yeah.
- [10:23]
Aamir Khan
So it's a very small subset.
- [10:25]
Matt Bellany
Right. You know, Prime Video says they have more. But again, with, as always with Prime Video, we don't know how many of those people are there to watch video or just there for the shopping.
- [10:34]
Aamir Khan
Sure, sure. So I felt that the window from theatrical to OTT is too short. I do believe that cinema and that the experience in a cinema hall, in a theater is very unique. It's collective viewing. You know, when you're laughing or clapping or enjoying something or whatever your emotion is, it's that kind of experience that makes it a magical, you know, experience. That's my feeling. And I hope theaters never go out of fashion. I do believe that with the smartphone coming in roughly 2005 is when smartphones started, if I'm not mistaken, and now it's been about 20 years. So with smartphones coming in and this huge force major of COVID hitting all of us has in fact changed habits. And today almost everything that we consume is purchased on the phone. So if you're not available on the phone, if you're not available on the digital platform, perhaps you're cutting out a huge audience. So I feel that a combination of the two gives the audience the choice whether they want to watch it in the theaters, they want to watch it at home. It's entirely the choice of an audience where they want to watch it. I understand there are a lot of people who love going to theaters and but because of their responsibilities, some of them, some of us are not able to actually go to theaters. I don't want to deny those people, you know, the possibility of watching the film in the convenience of their home. So I'm not against digital. I just feel that, you know, I mean, I've been here for 35 years as an actor and, you know, I have a very strong bond with film, cinema halls and theaters. So that's my first place of, you know, where I would like to sit when my film releases. Then I would like to be on digital, but I would. And one more thing I want to add over here, Matthew, is that the pay per view model that existed in the US for so many years was pretty much non existent in India.
- [12:24]
Matt Bellany
Well, that's a key thing because I think some people will listen to this and say, well, this is just A VOD window. This is, you know, there is premium VOD in the US where if you want to watch it before it gets to the streaming service, you pay 20 bucks here and you can watch it. So this is just a more democratized version of a VOD window. But you're saying that that window is not an option typically in India?
- [12:51]
Aamir Khan
No, it's not. So typically films release in theaters, they straightaway go on to OTT channels and then they go on to satellite. They do come and sit. Some of the older movies are on YouTube. You can, you can rent them or you can buy them, but that's where they sit last. So I'm not trying to eat into anyone's space. I'm just trying to create a space which I think ought to have been there to begin with. Earlier in India, the reason pay per view didn't take off is because our electronic payments were not in place at that point of time, so people couldn't pay for it. Now with UPI coming in, that's made a huge difference. And all of us use electronic modes of payment. So I felt that this is the time where we should try and create that window which does exist in the rest of the world.
- [13:34]
Matt Bellany
Honestly, I had, I had actually never been to the YouTube Movies on Demand page. And when you go there, at least in this country, it's like you said, it's a lot of older movies. The first movie that popped up when I went there was Ernest Goes to Jail, which you're probably not familiar with. I can explain to you the earnest franchise at some point, but the perception is that YouTube is non premium, that it is not Netflix or Prime Video that you go there to watch user generated and maybe some higher quality stuff that people upload. But there is a perception issue that you have to hurdle in this case. And you didn't worry about that.
- [14:15]
Aamir Khan
I was worried about that. These were certainly concerns that were thrown at me when I came up with this idea. But I really wanted to give it my best shot because I feel that if this does succeed, then after theatrical, you know, creative people in India would have an additional window of pay per view before they go to ott. And that's what I feel ideally should be the case.
- [14:38]
Matt Bellany
Okay. Yeah. And obviously the availability of YouTube in India is just, I mean, it's almost 500 million users. And you say you're not trying to cannibalize or hurt other services, but if I'm Netflix and I'm Amazon Prime Video, that worries me because they have had trouble getting traction in those countries, India is a huge priority for Netflix and there's been challenges. You know, the audience there, because of piracy and because of the options available, has been less willing to pay the price that Netflix wants people to pay for the service. And they know that there's a huge opportunity. It's a gigantic country and Indian people love movies and television. But Netflix has had a tough time breaking in. What is the perception of the streamers, the global streamers in India right now?
- [15:34]
Aamir Khan
Well, I'll tell you my impression. I think the bulk of India does not subscribe to OTT platforms, but there is a certain section which does subscribe, and I'm one of them who subscribes to Netflix or Amazon. And as a user, I'm very happy with that service. My only issue is that the window is too short and it doesn't allow for a pay per view window. We need a pay per view window between theatrical and ott. And that's what I'm really pushing to create.
- [16:01]
Matt Bellany
And what was the window here? You released this movie in June, so is this a 45 day window?
- [16:09]
Aamir Khan
So we released in theaters on the 20th of June, and then after six weeks, that's 45 days, we released on pay per view on YouTube. And then I haven't made an OTT sale because when we spoke about, when I spoke to the OTT channels, I said I would like to come on, you know, after six months of the theatrical release onto ott, but none of them were comfortable with that period. And they said, no, if it's not two months, we want to come in two months. If it's not two months, then we won't like to go ahead with the deal.
- [16:40]
Matt Bellany
Oh, interesting. Well, let's see what they say. If this is a gigantic hit on pay per view.
- [16:45]
Aamir Khan
Yeah. No, but I mean, even if it is, and as time goes by, we'll discover what the depth of the business is. But I still feel that there is an audience which would watch it on Netflix and Amazon when it does come on the OTT channel, if they so decide. I think that window needs to be closer to six months or five months somewhere there. My first priority is theaters, and I feel that every film needs to be handled differently. A film that's doing really well in theaters and going on for 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks. As a creative person, I can put it on pay per view. Not just after six weeks, because we put it after six weeks in the case of Sitarez Ameepad, because by then we had pretty much done our business. But had I seen the business going on further, I would have put it after 8 weeks or 10 weeks or 12 weeks. I want theaters to have their full run without any disturbance. And once the theatrical business is exhausted, that's when I want to come on pay per view. And that is a window that can be flexible. It can be eight weeks. It should certainly not be below six weeks, but six weeks, eight weeks, 10, 12, 16, whatever, depending on how the film's doing. And then you should give pay per view, you know, a good three months and then ott, then the film can come on ott. That's the ideal, you know, window. I feel.
- [18:10]
Matt Bellany
Well, you have some luxury here in that you're controlling your own destiny. I mean, in the U.S. many of the studios also own streaming services. So their incentive is to get as much box office as they can out of theaters and then push the movie to their streaming service as soon as possible. So you see big movies unless the filmmaker can exert leverage and negotiate a longer window. People like Christopher Nolan, who, you know, get a six month window guaranteed. Tom Cruise gets a six month window on Paramount, plus for Mission Impossible, the those kinds of things. But for the most part, if you're doing a movie for Universal, you know that it is going to go to Peacock, their US service and elsewhere around the world after as soon as three weekends. I mean, it can be that early and you don't have much choice in the matter. What's interesting here is, and it sounds like it's much more common in India is that a star of your stature and someone who has a track record is able to control their own destiny a little bit more. Am I right with that?
- [19:18]
Aamir Khan
Well, at a price, Certainly at a price.
- [19:21]
Matt Bellany
Have you turned out $14 million?
- [19:23]
Aamir Khan
So I'm taking a huge risk and I'm the only one doing it. I think the rest of the rest of my colleagues are waiting and watching to see how it goes. If it goes well, then this would become the norm. And I really, I'm, I'm really hoping it goes well because I think it'll be such a boost in the arm for cinema. And not only that, it also is a great opportunity for younger filmmakers who are making films, indie films which don't have huge stars. They just don't get a distribution in theaters. OTT platforms don't want to buy them and they have nowhere to go really. At the very least, a YouTube release gives them access to a huge number of people. And if they, if their work is good, it goes viral, you know, they can earn.
- [20:04]
Matt Bellany
Have they given you any stats yet? How's the. How's the movie doing?
- [20:08]
Aamir Khan
It's doing well. It's doing. It's doing way beyond what YouTube expected. I'm not allowed to give numbers, so I'm afraid I won't be able to give any numbers right now. I know, Matthew. I would have.
- [20:17]
Matt Bellany
Oh, you are. Come on, you're the biggest. You're the Tom Hanks of India. You can do whatever you want. Do you think ultimately you will make your money back?
- [20:26]
Aamir Khan
I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. Yeah.
- [20:29]
Matt Bellany
I mean, how are you letting people know about this? Are you advertising it? Is YouTube advertising it? Is it. Are you just counting on the algorithm of people who have bought tickets to your movie will get served this on YouTube?
- [20:40]
Aamir Khan
No, we have a marketing budget for this, and YouTube is putting its strength behind this, and YouTube is also putting up a marketing budget for this.
- [20:47]
Matt Bellany
So you are spending your own money to market this?
- [20:50]
Aamir Khan
Me and YouTube, both of us. YouTube is also marketing it, and so am I. So there's a separate budget for the theatrical release and a separate budget for the YouTube release.
- [20:59]
Matt Bellany
Okay. Have you heard from other filmmakers in the region that want to try this?
- [21:05]
Aamir Khan
Well, all the people I've met are really excited and they're waiting to see how it finally turns out.
- [21:09]
Matt Bellany
Will you then share? No one's going to do this unless you share the numbers.
- [21:13]
Aamir Khan
No, of course. I mean, I think that this is something I would encourage. I think that one of the biggest steps that we've already taken is that today my film is actually available across, not just India, but outside of India. And, you know, diaspora Indians, they live all over the world. You know, sometimes theaters are not close to them. So this is a very convenient way. This is. Finally, you have a way to reach people. And I think that's the biggest strength of this idea, that you have the ability to reach people, and then it's really always up to the audience whether they want to consume it or not.
- [21:47]
Matt Bellany
Yeah. And just to be clear, what is the revenue share with you and YouTube? You don't have to tell me the number, but what's the split?
- [21:55]
Aamir Khan
Unfortunately, I can't give all this out here, but it's a good. Let me say it's a good split. It's a good split.
- [22:01]
Matt Bellany
I mean, theaters, typically, they get about 50%, and 50% goes to the studio. Is that a similar arrangement?
- [22:09]
Aamir Khan
It's better than that. It's better than that.
- [22:11]
Matt Bellany
Do you think that is because YouTube wants to try this out and popularize it or do you think that's going to be a rate that others will be able to get as well?
- [22:19]
Aamir Khan
I think others would be able to get a similar rate, if not the same, because I think being the person who's risked a lot to try and do this for the first time, they might give other producers a slightly less advantageous deal. But even then it's a very good deal.
- [22:36]
Matt Bellany
And what was the ultimate budget for this film?
- [22:38]
Aamir Khan
This film cost us $11 million.
- [22:42]
Matt Bellany
Okay, so you've pretty much already made your money back in theaters.
- [22:45]
Aamir Khan
Well, I had to pay a price also because I had a partner with me earlier and then they weren't very keen on this rash idea of mine.
- [22:55]
Matt Bellany
They didn't like you turning down money.
- [22:57]
Aamir Khan
They didn't like me turning down money. So they preferred that I buy them out and I. So therefore the film has actually cost me about $14 million. Let's say between 14 and $15 million is what the cost of the film for me is.
- [23:10]
Matt Bellany
So if the split is 50, 50 on theaters, it made 30. You about broke even. And then there's marketing and distribution costs. So you, you want to make some money on this to make you whole?
- [23:21]
Aamir Khan
Sure, yeah, yeah. But. But you know, the way I'm looking at it, Matthew, is that I do believe that this is also the future.
- [23:27]
Matt Bellany
Well, it's marketing essentially as well. It's the age old question in entertainment. You are sacrificing dollars for reach.
- [23:35]
Aamir Khan
Absolutely right. And the other thing is that I also feel that, you know, in a pre sale, what happens is when I'm selling my film to a OTT channel, I don't know exactly how many people are going to watch it. Neither do they. So they're making a judgment and they're taking a judgment call and they offer a price. I like the price. I say yes, but when the film finally releases, it may do great numbers for them or it may not. I already have my money, whereas in this model, my film has to be good because each individual has to buy it, each individual has to buy into it. So that actually really puts a lot more responsibility on the creative team to really deliver a film that connects with people.
- [24:18]
Matt Bellany
Yeah, the pre sale model, you get your money up front often to make the movie, and then you have obligations in different territories and wherever the movie plays, someone has those rights. And it doesn't allow you to call an audible, to use a US football term, and do something different here.
- [24:38]
Aamir Khan
Yeah, but creatively speaking, what I was trying to point out is that in a pre sale Model, I could make a really bad film. I could still make money, right?
- [24:47]
Matt Bellany
Oh, I've seen them. I've been to afm. I've been to Cannes. I know them all.
- [24:51]
Aamir Khan
But in this model, I have to believe in my film. My film has to connect with people for me to earn money. That is the oldest way that performing artists earn money. You know, you perform on the road and you put your hat out, and if people like what you've done, they put money in it. If they. If they don't like it, they walk away. This model won't work for films that are weak.
- [25:11]
Matt Bellany
Yeah. And you have an advantage in that you are a known quantity. People associate you with a certain type of movie. You have already now done $30 million in theaters, and now you are able to do this kind of thing. And I think it's a. An interesting strategy. I hope it works, and I hope filmmakers at least have more options, because the global streamer deal is great for some, but not great for others.
- [25:38]
Aamir Khan
Yes, that's true. That's true. I'm trying my best. Let's see how it goes.
- [25:42]
Matt Bellany
Well, you gotta come back on when you wildly overperform and you want to tell us all the numbers and how, you know, Netflix and Amazon can suck it because you went to YouTube and made a fortune.
- [25:53]
Aamir Khan
No, no, that's not my.
- [25:55]
Matt Bellany
I know, I know, I know. You ultimately want it to go there, right? Don't you ultimately want the movie to go there?
- [26:02]
Aamir Khan
Why not? I mean, I've always been open for my film coming on OTT platforms, but the period has to be six months. I don't want it below six months. Like you mentioned, you know, some of the creative people in the US have been insisting on six months. That's the period I feel, as well, is the correct period for films to come on ott.
- [26:19]
Matt Bellany
All right, well, good luck to you. Appreciate the time, and it's an interesting strategy. Thank you. Yep.
- [26:24]
Aamir Khan
Thank you.
- [26:24]
Matt Bellany
Manti, we are back with the call sheet. Craig, do I need to explain to you what the earnest movies were?
- [26:33]
Craig Horlbeck
You know what's funny is you did about a year ago.
- [26:35]
Matt Bellany
Oh, I did. Oh, that's right, I did. I was. I. These were a thing in the 80s and 90s. Ernest P. Worrell was a character Jim Varney played, and inexplicably, there were, like, 10 Ernest movies that kids found irresistible. And you had no idea what that franchise.
- [26:53]
Craig Horlbeck
No, but I did spend about an hour watching earnest clips, and I. I don't really get it.
- [27:00]
Matt Bellany
Oh, I don't think Anyone ever got it. It was just one of those things that happened and we all enjoyed it at the time and then we moved on. Speaking of things, we all enjoyed and had a moment and although it never really went away, Hamilton is back.
- [27:14]
Craig Horlbeck
Compare Hamilton to Ernest.
- [27:16]
Matt Bellany
I am not. No Hamilton. Great piece of art. One of the best things I've ever seen live. I am not. But it was supposed to be a movie. They filmed it at the Richard Rogers Theater with the original cast. Was supposed to come out in 2020 in theaters. Did not because of the pandemic. Went directly to Disney in 2020. Where I saw it, where you saw it and many others did. It is still. Still doing extremely well on Disney because they've been celebrating the 10th anniversary and doing a lot of press and stuff. It popped up in the Nielsen charts and is still doing good numbers on Disney. They have decided now to go full circle and put it in theaters on September 5th. And the question I have for you is, will people show up to watch Hamilton in a movie theater when it's been on Disney, when it's been touring around the world, when it has been everywhere on your social media feeds 10 years later?
- [28:19]
Craig Horlbeck
Well, my question for you is, is this a different cut than what is currently on Disney or is it the exact same movie?
- [28:25]
Matt Bellany
No, they're all 10 years older now, so it's the exact same thing. They have done a reunion Q and a interview that is going to be attached to the movie. So you are going to get to see something new in theaters, but it's.
- [28:40]
Craig Horlbeck
Not like a more cinematic cut or version of it or anything like that.
- [28:43]
Matt Bellany
No, no, no, no. There's not a new song. There's nothing like that. This is not the first time that a captured play is going to be in theaters. They've done it for things like Shrek, the Musical, Newsies, Kinky Boots. This is only playing in theaters via Disney for a week. So it's gonna. They're gonna put a little marketing behind it, try to get the super fans, the theater kids, to show up and have a communal experience around Hamilton. Disney's gonna put hamilton into about 1500 theaters. They don't think it's gonna do more than 10 million, maybe 5 to 10.
- [29:17]
Craig Horlbeck
To be honest, I have no idea. This is not some. I have no idea how much this could. If it's already on Disney, a lot of people have already seen it. But also, it's not like this costs a lot of money to put in theaters. It's already made.
- [29:27]
Aamir Khan
This is.
- [29:28]
Craig Horlbeck
This is essentially free money they're making, I guess, outside of the marketing they're spending on it.
- [29:32]
Matt Bellany
I know. Good for Lin Manuel Miranda. Like, this is just another way to exploit the show.
- [29:36]
Craig Horlbeck
Do you think this is testing the market for a potential Hamilton? A real Hamilton movie, a narrative film?
- [29:42]
Matt Bellany
It's not testing the market. The market is there. I've said this for years. I think they should take Hamilton, license the feature rights to Disney or another studio and do a big budget, $300 million, two part historical musical epic. Wicked. Yeah, yeah, Wickedize it. And it'll happen. If they got it. I mean, if they're not already developing it, they should be. And this would be a huge hit if they did it. But I think the prospects for the regular Hamilton in theaters are pretty limited. It is by far the biggest Broadway phenomenon of this generation, the biggest thing since Wicked, and that premiered 20 years ago, so there's been nothing since. That is close to what that is. And more power to him. So good for them. All right, that's the show for today. I want to thank my guest, Amir Khan, producer Craig Horlbeck, art editor Jesse Lopez, and I want to thank you. We'll see you next week.