Have to get used to a new world: Michael Bay on theaters vs streamers

PTI, Dec 2, 2019, 2:40 PM IST

Seoul: Director Michael Bay on Monday said though he regrets not releasing his upcoming action film “6 Underground” in cinema halls, he believes it is important to keep pace with the arrival of streaming services.

Bay also rued the “dying” movie-going experience.

Netflix is set to release the Ryan Reynolds-fronted film on December 13.

“You have regrets. But I do like big scale, big imagery only come from big cinema, I appreciate the big screen but the whole business has changed in the past three-four years. And we have to get used to a new world.

“People want to consume things in different ways. The movie-going experience is some way is sort of dying, which is sad,” Bay told reporters at the press conference of the film here.

He praised Netflix for taking the risk with the film, adding the streamer is interested in making new movies and not merely sequels.

“Netflix was brave enough to give the money for ‘6 Underground’ and they are interested in doing new IPs, not a sequel.”

Bay said they have made a fun film and the audience should just “get a big TV” for a better experience.

The film will have its world premiere in Seoul and the director said the team is “honored” to present the film here for the first time – on a big screen.

Bay, famous for films such as “Transformers” franchise and “Pearl Harbor” among others, said the title of his new movie is evocative of an image of reluctant heroes who are underdogs, who face a sort of evil to redeem themselves.

“It’s about six capable individuals. They are all damaged souls in some way or the other. They are looking for redemption so they fake their own death, they become ghosts. They lose their digital footprint and from there they take on some very evil people in a way to make the world just a little bit better place.”

At the event, Reynolds was asked if he was a leader on the film sets like he was on screen, but the actor said he doesn’t consider himself a leader.

“Michael Bay was the leader. Films are a director’s medium,” the actor replied.

Disagreeing with him, Bay later said Reynolds was a leader off-screen too.

“Ryan has this amazing comedy and charisma. I think the cast feeds off that so it’s not just the director’s medium, it’s an actor’s medium as well,” the director said.

To which Reynolds replied, staying true to his quick wit, “If there wasn’t so much bronzer, I’d blush.