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The drive-in movie theater, a venue in which people watch big-screen films from the comfort of their cars, has gained a minor resurgence over the past few months after years of declining popularity. With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping most traditional theaters closed in order to reduce further spread of the disease, the drive-in has been seen as a less health-risky alternative for the big screen experience. Because of this, many of the few remaining drive-ins in the nation have remained open and even seen a rise in attendance, but not enough to ensure the official comeback of this cinematic institution. With so few movies being released at the moment, there’s little incentive for most potential moviegoers to leave the safety of their homes, even for movie-watching that’s less prone to the spread of disease than the usual theater.
Part of the problem may be the lack of open drive-ins outside a small handle in a few states. If that’s the case, then Tribeca Enterprises, the organization behind the annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, might have the solution.
Last week, Tribeca Enterprises announced that it would join forces with AT&T and IMAX to create the Tribeca Drive-In, a program intended to bring the drive-in experience to various venues across the country over the coming summer. The series is expected to begin June 25th and carry on throughout the remainder of the season, though depending on the state of the pandemic and the reception of the series, it could go on for even longer.
At the moment, no specific locations have been announced for the program, although drive-ins and other outdoor venues have been cited as the kinds of places where Tribeca would like to show its programming. In addition, there has yet to be any confirmation as to what will be shown at the Tribeca Drive-In, although Tribeca has suggested that films both old and recent would be included, as well as non-cinematic programs like music and sports.
Speaking on behalf of Tribeca is one of its co-founders, legendary actor Robert de Niro, who expressed great excitement for what the Tribeca Drive-In has in store. “We’re excited to give people something to look forward to this summer,” de Niro claims, “and reinvent a classic moviegoing experience for communities to enjoy together safely”.
Despite no official confirmation as to what will be shown at the Tribeca Drive-In, it’s possible to make predictions based on the companies working with Tribeca, AT&T and IMAX.
IMAX, best known for films shown on theatrical screens significantly larger than those found at the average theater, has become an increasing presence over the past couple decades as a means of making blockbuster films an even more enthralling experience than they already are. Since the release of Disney’s Fantasia 2000, many Hollywood studios have viewed IMAX as a reliable asset when it comes to making their films more enticing, allowing IMAX-supported theaters to show their films on the largest screens possible. Many productions have even used cameras made specifically for IMAX viewing to shoot their films, with the most recent Avengers films, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, being shot using IMAX cameras.
It’s not only big-budget spectacles that have made use of the IMAX experience however. Long before its utilization in major Hollywood productions, IMAX was used primarily to create documentary films, most of which possess an educational factor with their emphasis on nature and history, that could be shown in museums, science centers, and other venues that emphasized learning. Given that Tribeca has already announced its intention to show other programs besides traditional movies, it would not be too surprising to see documentaries of this kind being incorporated into the series.
Then there’s AT&T, which currently owns a significant portion of the Big Five studio Warner Brothers. With this ownership comes the rights to a variety of iconic works of cinema, from major franchises like Harry Potter and Batman to individual classic films like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca. Warner’s film library is one of the largest in the world, so much so that its own streaming service, HBO Max, is set to be launched later this month. With such a wide variety of films to pick from, there’s no reason why Tribeca wouldn’t look to this catalog in order to decide on which films to show. In fact, as far as classic films are concerned, AT&T’s ownership of Turner Classic Movies, a television channel devoted entirely to classic films, may even allow classics not owned by Warner Brothers to be licensed out for this drive-in experience.
As for Tribeca itself, there’s also the possibility that films shown at previous Tribeca Film Festivals may be included in the Drive-In. It has been announced that independent films would be incorporated into the program, so it would make sense for Tribeca, an organization devoted primarily to the exhibition of independent cinema, to feature films that were shown at any one of its earlier festivals. Depending on how long the pandemic continues, if the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival ends up being cancelled, the Tribeca Drive-In may be the solution to getting films originally meant for that festival shown on the big screen as initially intended.
All of this is pure speculation, of course, as nothing specific has been confirmed. Still, from what is known so far, the Tribeca Drive-In sounds like the perfect remedy for those ailing from the absence of the big-screen experience. If it means allowing people across the nation to enjoy the summer movie-going experience without putting their health at risk, then the Tribeca Drive-In should be welcomed with open arms.
