If it's 3-D, will they come?

They're just getting it while they can. Don't go and it'll soon go back to 'normal'. After all, if the studios had their way, we'd all be streaming their films and there wouldn't be cinemas at all.

Today's Wall Street Journal reports the wave of big-budget 3D films is colliding with the limited number of 3D screens, causing some theater owners to yank Alice in Wonderland to make room for Clash of the Titans and How to Train Your Dragon. It reported that "people close to the situation" estimate Dragon will play to 5% fewer 3D screens than at its opening last weekend. Some theater owners are considering running the kid-oriented Dragon only at afternoon matinees and then showing the more violent Titans on the same screen in the evenings. Seems the roll-out of more 3D screens hasn't proceeded as quickly as the studios had hoped and they are pressuring theaters to clear out earlier-released 3D features to make room for the latest hitting the market, with a glut of 3D films to follow. As in any business, the clash of supply and demand is going to affect ticket prices. Large demand and short supply (with too few screens and films not running for as many days before the next blockbuster appears) will likely drive up ticket prices. On the other hand, if movie-goers decide--as some critics have pointed out--that 3D doesn't add that much to some films, especially one originally shot in 2D and upgraded to 3D, than demand and prices might fall. WSJ reports there are 4,100 3D screens at 2,500 locations in North America, but theater owners may double the count by the end of this year, which indicates they have a strong financial incentive to upgrade theaters to 3D.

Many movies are marketed as 3D but doesnt contain much 3D effects at all - and if that trend continues much further - then 3D will be a fad. Alice in Wonderland and Clash of the Titans and many others aonly contains very little to no 3D in them (except for subtitles being in 3D)...this is marketing and consumer feels cheated.