Yahoo Finance 'Big Little Lies' star Shailene Woodley says streaming wars are like the 'Wild West'
When it comes to streaming wars, Shailene Woodley is no stranger to the battlefield so to speak. The “Big Little Lies Star” knows the hit ensemble cast show is competing for all those eyeballs.
“It’s kind of like the wild, wild West right now in my industry,” Woodley told Yahoo Finance’s YFiAM. “There’s not really any right way or wrong way to do it. People are just experimenting. New technology and whatnot, brings the availability for a landscape that is totally novel in every single way possible.”
Just a week ago, Apple TV+ (AAPL) priced its OTT service at $4.99, severely undercutting what some see as its top competitors Disney+ (DIS) and Netflix (NFLX). Earlier this summer, WarnerMedia (T) announced HBOMax – its streaming platform where viewers will have access to HBO, New Line, DC Entertainment, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim – that includes the rights to those classic sitcoms like “Friends” - that Netflix fans are losing - and “Big Little Lies.”
Streaming wars create opportunity in Hollywood
Woodley tells Yahoo Finance the open landscape gives creators, writers, directors and actors immense options.
“It’s exciting because it just means there is more job opportunities for people to create,” said Woodley. “There’s more opportunities for people at home to kind of choose their own adventure if you will when it comes to consuming media and consuming films and television shows.”
In fact, HBOMax has a ton of original content up its sleeve. Reese Witherspoon, one of Woodley’s co-stars, will produce at least two romantic comedies, also slated for the platform: “The Flight Attendant,” a one-hour thriller series based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian starring Kaley Cuoco, and “Love Life” a romantic comedy starring Anna Kendrick.
“It’s wild. It’s kind of fun to sit back and witness it a little bit,” said Woodley. “It’s a great time to be a creator, but I also love the movie theater. The whole streaming wars thing is cool, but don’t take our movie theaters away.”
Woodley’s new film “Endings, Beginnings” is currently in theaters.
Tracey Marx Bernstein is a senior producer for Yahoo Finance.
READ MORE:
Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn,YouTube, and reddit.
