- Pop! Pour! Review
Are Movie Theaters Back!?!
Updated: Jan 17
By Matt Chieco
This weekend at the movies (dare I say it) almost felt normal. With A Quiet Place Part II and Cruella hitting theaters, all eyes were on the box office and they did not disappoint, even matching the box office predictions from before the pandemic!
Since the pandemic began there have been countless articles, interviews, and predictions that said movie theater experience, as we once knew it, was over and streaming was the way of the future. The window for how long a movie plays exclusively in theaters shortened, big studios like Disney and Warner Bros. announced many of their 2021 films getting day-and-date releases to both streaming and in theaters. Yet, after this weekend some may be singing a slightly different tune.
While COVID showed how important streaming can be, no one should second guess the power of the cinema. John Krasinski’s sequel earned over $47 million in its first three days and an estimated $57 million for the four day Memorial Day weekend. The perfect movie to bring people back to the theaters and keep them there. Godzilla vs. Kong also brought people back to the theaters, but it wasn't sustainable.
While all the headlines are celebrating A Quiet Place Part II another movie solidified the fact that theaters are back. Disney’s latest live action remake Cruella brought in over $21 million in its first three days and an estimated $26 million for the four day Memorial Day weekend. These numbers don’t sound amazing when comparing them to the others, but this movie wasn’t just in theaters. Cruella was simultaneously released on Disney+ Premier Access. So for a movie that gave the option to watch at home almost hitting $30 million, shows many people are still craving being at a theater.
While the battle between watching at home vs. watching in movie theaters will continue forever, the true test will be this summer movie season and hopefully the momentum A Quiet Place Part II and Cruella provided will be carried through till the end of the year.
A Quiet Place Part II is now in theaters and Cruella is now in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access.