Many movies are released in theaters, but there are few viewers.
According to the film market, approximately 55 Vietnamese films are expected to be released in theaters in 2025. Just one year later, this number is projected to increase to around 70-80 films, nearly doubling. The Vietnamese film race is no longer solely focused on the Lunar New Year but has expanded to other holidays such as Hung Kings' Commemoration Day, April 30th, May 1st, and the upcoming September 2nd, with an increasingly dense film release schedule.
However, the paradox of the market is that while the number of films is increasing, the number of box office failures is also growing. Audiences' decision to go to theaters and their film choices are becoming increasingly polarized. According to experts, the market is now entering a fiercely competitive phase, especially in capturing viewers' attention.
Recently, the market has continuously witnessed cases of films failing miserably. Producer Hang Trinh of the film "Money Trap" publicly apologized to investors when the film only grossed about 2.9 billion VND and had to leave theaters early. Meanwhile, supermodel Xuan Lan also revealed her despair after losing approximately 30 billion VND after two film projects scheduled for 2024-2025.
The recent April 30th - May 1st holiday film season continued to demonstrate the strong fragmentation of the market. Of the five films released at the same time, three failed to break even. Producer Trinh Hoan of HKFilm expressed his bewilderment and self-doubt when the film "Hero" grossed less than 20 billion VND after 5 days of release.
Another striking image is actress Thanh Thúy's continuous participation in cinetours to support the box office revenue of the film "Trùm Sò," directed by her husband, even though many screenings had very few viewers. This image has left many people concerned about the pressure that Vietnamese film crews are currently facing.
According to industry professionals, it is no longer uncommon for filmmakers to sell assets or borrow money to pursue their passion for filmmaking. However, only a few works are successful enough to help producers recoup their investment, while many others face prolonged debt burdens and the risk of damaging their professional reputation.
According to Master's degree holder Nguyen Trong Khoa, Head of the Digital Film Production Department at RMIT University Vietnam, audiences today are highly diversified, not only based on subject matter but also on storytelling style and aesthetic taste across various genres. He believes the biggest challenge is ensuring that the communication strategy accurately reflects the quality and style of the film.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Khoa believes that when the media, identity, and content of a film are unified, audience differentiation will help each work find its own group of viewers instead of all following the same mass-market formula.
Journalist and film expert Nguyen Ngoc believes that the Vietnamese film market is not yet completely saturated, but is "overcrowded" in prime time slots, media budgets, and especially in audience attention. According to him, this saturation is not unique to Vietnam; Hollywood is facing a similar situation.
While Hollywood struggles with sequels, reboots, live-action films, or recurring cinematic universes, Vietnamese cinema relies heavily on quick-selling formulas like folk horror, family comedies, remakes, or films released during holiday seasons.
According to expert Nguyen Ngoc, the difference lies in the fact that Hollywood lacks original scripts due to its massive industrial machinery and fear of risk, while Vietnamese cinema often lacks good scripts because project development is rushed, there is a lack of a professional screenwriting system, and insufficient time for thorough testing of the work.
We need a strategy instead of chasing trends.
In the near future, the market is predicted to witness a surge in historical films. Approximately six historical projects were announced in 2026 alone. According to experts, this genre has a distinct advantage as it easily evokes national pride and attracts audiences to theaters more effectively than many other genres.
However, experts also warn that historical themes could easily become saturated if exploited based on trends. Master's degree holder Nguyen Trong Khoa predicts that if the number of historical films continues to increase sharply, the market in 2027 could repeat the situation of 2025, where many films on the same topic exist, but only one truly creates a significant impact.
According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Khoa, if there is no serious investment in scriptwriting, production design, and overall quality, audiences will quickly lose interest in historical films. Increasing the number of films may only widen the revenue gap between works instead of helping the entire market develop evenly.
From a market perspective, many believe that to achieve a breakthrough, Vietnamese films need not only innovative ideas but also effective distribution and marketing strategies. According to film expert Nguyen Ngoc, the first element is that a film must have a clear "cinematic promise" so that audiences quickly understand why they need to go to the cinema to see the film.
In addition, the script needs to be fresh enough but not necessarily bizarre. Sometimes, a familiar story told from a new perspective, with memorable characters and details that create a viral effect, is enough to draw audiences to the theater.
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc, Vietnamese cinema does not lack material from family life, rural life, urban life, beliefs, youth, war, or office life. The problem lies in organizing that material into a story with rhythm, emotion, and characters that are memorable enough for the audience.
This expert also suggested that Vietnamese films need to reduce their tendency to rush into peak seasons, instead choosing the right timing, researching competitors, and building an audience community early on before the film's release. According to him, the Vietnamese film market is very vibrant but also becoming increasingly demanding as audiences mature much faster than many producers imagine.
TT (compiled)Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/dien-anh-viet-chat-vat-giua-cuoc-dua-phong-ve-542484.html
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