Judd Apatow Says It’s ‘Wrong’ to Think Comedy Movies Are Dead in Theaters: ‘It Just Requires Another Hit’ Since Hollywood ‘Will Chase Anything That Does Well’

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Judd Apatow does not believe comedy movies are dead in theaters. While the genre has largely moved to streaming in recent years (Apatow’s last two directorial efforts debuted on streaming, while the Please Don’t Destroy movie he produced last year, “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain,” skipped theaters and debuted on Peacock), Apatow recently told Vulture that all it will take is one comedy blockbuster in theaters to swing the pendulum away from streaming.

Actually, that may have already happened in his eyes. “I would say that’s wrong because the highest-grossing comedy last year made over a billion dollars,” Apatow said when asked about movie theaters no longer being a venue for comedy movies. “‘Barbie’ was a comedy, you know?” “But isn’t that like saying a Marvel movie is a comedy?” Vulture asked. “I don’t think so.

It’s not a drama,” Apatow responded. “There are some emotional moments in it, but it’s just wall-to-wall jokes. There’s something about it where I feel like no one wants to give comedy the win there.

Like, why can’t we say ‘Barbie’ is a comedy? What other category would it be?” “I assume it’ll swing back,” Apatow added about comedy films returning to movie theaters in bulk. “The industry does follow the leader…for comedy, it just requires another hit or two.