Illegal downloading in great shape because of streaming platforms | MacGeneration

Piracy is still popular in 2021. Due to the pandemic and the closure of cinemas, distributors have had to review their model and are now broadcasting their latest productions in cinemas (when there are some) and on platforms streaming. Problem: as soon as the productions are online, they are immediately downloaded and illegally shared in very high quality.

Previously, you had to wait several months to be able to find recent releases in good quality in P2P or illegal streaming: pirates had to settle for screeners, versions filmed in cinemas using camcorders or telephones. Now blockbusters like Suicide Squad, Godzilla vs. King Kong or Jungle Cruise are hitting torrent sites faster than ever, and in 4K quality. In addition, multilingual subtitles are generally integrated into the files, which further simplifies the mass distribution of productions.

Black Widow released on July 9 on Disney+ was the most downloaded film for the three weeks following its release, explains TorrentFreak. Streaming is also on the rise: the latest film Conjuring has been streamed more than 9 million times while being the most downloaded film in the world in June. This has the effect of reducing studio revenues, but also the number of subscribers to their services (Disney+, Netflix, etc.). Download and streaming sites are difficult to block: if one falls, a dozen reappear in stride.

As a result, and also because directors complained, some distributors have announced that they no longer want to distribute their productions online. AMC and Warner (which belongs to the same group that operates HBO Max) will return to a more traditional system next year. A window lasting 45 days will now be in place between the theatrical release and the distribution of the film on the internet. Disney will only show its Marvel future in theaters at first, but will continue to release some of its new releases online. It remains to be seen whether the studios will be able to reaccustom the spectators to going to the theaters (especially since the Delta variant can cool the ardor of the latter).