Do all movies get released in theaters?

Answer 1

No. Some films go straight to DVD. This is sometimes done with films that are really bad, and have no chance of making any money at the box office. But it is also done with indie films and foreign films that are really excellent, but still have no chance of making any money at the box office, because they aren't mainstream enough.

American audiences are especially uncultured and lowbrow; most Americans wouldn't know a quality film if it smacked them across the face. They won't watch any movie that is foreign or independent, no matter how good it is. Mainstream America only likes movies with lots of explosions, big boobs, and cheesy dialogue. The fact that there are three wildly successful sequels -- four, if you count the one that hasn't been made yet -- to The Fast and the Furious is proof of this.

"Paranormal Activity" is an independent film. It was made for $15,000 dollars. Its currently grossed more than 87 million dollars. "Passion of the Christ" was independently made. It has grossed over 370 million dollars. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was an indepedent film. It grossed over 241 million dollars. Yes, so did the Blair Witch Project. It was the most successful indie movie of all time, until it was surpassed by My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Clerks has also been fairly successful. So what? Just because a handful of indie movies have made it big, doesn't mean that mainstream American audiences are interested in indie and foreign films in general. If they were, then you would be able to find these movies easily on the shelves at Blockbuster. But you can't. You have to join Netflix, or purchase them from Amazon.com, because there is barely any market for them in the U.S.

In fact, many great foreign movies -- like the Ring, the Grudge, and the Eye -- had to be remade with all-American actors, because otherwise, American audiences wouldn't go to see them. These movies would not have been remade by Americans, if the average American had any interest whatsoever in foreign or indie cinema.
"They won't watch any movie that is foreign or independent, no matter how good it is."
Obviously this statement is wrong. Otherwise people would NOT have gone to the independent films listed.

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It's called "hyperbole." It's a literary device. As in, not meant to be taken literally. Juliet wasn't saying that Romeo was literally a flower, either.