Sophomore Ally Williams walks into the packed movie theater with her friends surrounded by people dressed in pink excited to finally watch the highly anticipated movie, “Barbie.” She had never seen so big of a crowd nor felt such high energy in the movie theaters before.
“Regular old people [were] talking about how they’re going to get dressed up and how excited they were for the movie…” Williams said. “Everyone was super happy and in such a good mood to see the movie.”
In 2023, the domestic yearly box office totaled $8,906,920,114, which is 6 billion more than 2020. Compared to years before, 2023 was a year where many people went to the theaters to see good movies.
“[Movies] have gotten better in the past year, especially since COVID [which] slowed down new production,” Biology teacher and movie fan Bryan Moretz said. “There were a lot of really good blockbusters over the past year… There are lots of movies that really blew up.”
A contributing factor to the increased success in movie theaters is the content and quality of the movies themselves. From 2010-2019, SuperHero movies were one of the most popular genres for movies. However, post-pandemic, they have received record lows for box office. Heading into 2023, companies sought to follow the audience’s taste and create more options.
“We have a superhero fatigue,” Moretz said. “There’s been a lot of superhero movies. Companies are trying to be smarter about the superhero movies that they make. They are focusing on creating a diverse library of movies, where people aren’t just only seeing superhero movies.”
A focus on new blockbuster movies such as Oppenheimer and SuperMario bros as well as independent films like Saltburn created much viewer attraction. Films emphasizing on nostalgia like Hunger Games: Ballad of the Songbirds and Wonka encouraged audiences to go to theaters to relive their childhoods. The nostalgic film, Barbie, was the highest-grossing film of 2023, grossing 1.44 Billion.
“Barbie’ has been a part of a lot of people’s lives, especially girls and women’s lives,” Williams said. “Bringing that aspect of ‘when you were a little bit like a little kid’ increased its popularity.”
The media has also played a role in promoting these films before its release. Production companies target their audience with posts about the upcoming movies on large social media platforms like Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook. The posts include revealing snippets of the film, starting fan theories, and posting behind-the-scenes content.
The anticipation created by the media along with the addition of the improved quality and environment of the theaters contributed to the revitalization of movie theaters. Changes such as laser units instead of traditional digital projectors and creating better sound systems were implemented to create a more immersive experience for viewers watching at the theaters compared to in homes.
“I can’t imagine watching Oppenheimer on a small little TV screen or my laptop,” Moretz said. “That experience draws a lot of people to the theater.. experiencing a nuclear bomb exploding on a big screen is something one does not forget.”
The camaraderie of the audience while watching something spectacular creates a sense of unity unique only to theaters. People often find this activity good for bonding with friends and family.
“With more people, you have that collective sense of amazement,” Moretz said. “Like ‘oh, man, everyone’s expressing these same emotions as me. It is the collective experience overall.”
The content of movies, promotion of the media, and environment of theaters are all contributing factors to the continuation of cinemas. Ultimately, people are coming more to enjoy the pleasant experience of the theater.
“I’ve always been one of those people that goes to the theater,” Moretz said. “It’s my way to disconnect from the craziness of the world. It’s a good avenue for art and theater in general…I just enjoy the experience of going to the theater, relaxing, eating popcorn, and having a giant soda.”
