John Landis is looking for a Hollywood savior.
The legendary comedy director told Deadline during the Taormina Film Festival that the film industry is “in chaos” amid the WGA strike and lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on theaters.
“Do you know it’s the first time in Hollywood history that the Directors Guild, the Writers Guild, and the IA are all united?” Landis said. “The film industry is in chaos and I hope the audience comes back to the theaters.”
The Writers Guild is still on a work-halt order due to negotiations for fair wages. The Directors Guild reached a deal with the AMPTP to avoid a strike; however, SAG contract negotiations are still underway.
The “Trading Places” director continued, “The sentiment really is the sorrow for the pathetic state the business is in. You know, between streaming and the pandemic, it was like a stake through the heart. It really hurts the business and continues to do so. And there’s the strike now. The streamers really are the bad guys.”
Landis added that streaming platforms take away from the overall film experience.
“Motion pictures are meant to be seen in a large house, cinema, a big theater, on a big screen, with good sound and as many people as possible because it’s a communal experience,” the “Animal House” filmmaker said.
Due to the current WGA strike, “everything is in sort of limbo” with Landis’ personal upcoming projects despite him being “desperate to work.” Landis confirmed an upcoming Broadway show, plus two feature films and a TV series in the works.
