Important to recognize where we were pre-COVID with the box office

Disney was already shifting several live action titles to Disney+, WB was standing up a D2HBO division, etc.

Theatrical was becoming a $750MM+ or $1B+ only channel for the majors

And even then, it was risky

2019 had more bombs, bigger bombs, more disappointments, and bigger film-to-sequel declines than ever before

And the major franchises had 40% of the box office https://www.matthewball.vc/all/franchisefatigue

Put another way, 2023 or 2024 or 2022 was already going to be a world where most films simply couldn't try to release in theaters

This is really a question of a few titles per year, and whether in 2022, they'll go back to exhibition windows.

Most were never going to go there