How we watch movies at home today is entirely different from how we did it a decade ago. Before streaming services became the norm, people usually watched films at home using a physical copy. Growing up in the 2000s and early 2010s, DVDs, Blu-rays, and, believe it or not, VHS Tapes were how I was introduced to so many great films. I still remember being a little kid shopping at the local Walmart with my family and searching through the $5 DVD bin. As you can see in this picture, that same movie bin is now a shell of its former self. Lots of stores around the country are discontinuing their DVD sales. The average person would rather pay for access to multiple shows and movies on a streaming service than purchase a bunch of discs. We can all agree that streaming is very convenient, but what does this mean for the people who still want to own a physical copy of their favorite film? Due to licensing agreements, there is no telling when a streaming service will pull the plug on a movie you enjoy. However, with a physical disc, you do not have to worry about that because you own it. There are a number of other reasons why some consumers still prefer physical copies over streaming.
Will consumers be able to purchase the newest film or show on DVD in the future? Although most major movie studios still release physical copies of their films, two of the biggest movie directors in Hollywood, Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro, have discussed why they believe physical copies of movies are essential. (https://variety.com/2023/film/news/)
Some companies offer physical copies of shows and movies exclusively made for their streaming platform, but it’s a rare occurrence.
Even though some popular stores are discontinuing their movie sales, there is still a market for this form of media and streaming has yet to take over entirely. In my opinion, I do not think DVDs will become the norm again. Buying physical movies has now become more of a niche thing, similar to music fans collecting vinyl records. If you go on YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter and type in physical media, you’ll find all sorts of posts from people showing off their collection of DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS Tapes, and even some obscure formats, like laserdisc. Remember Laserdisc? Probably not, but as someone who has been collecting physical media for eight years, I have my own collection. As long as there is still a market for it, the old way of watching movies at home will stick around for the foreseeable future. Streaming and owning physical copies will, for now, co-exist.
