What is the first movie you plan to see as theaters are deemed safe to reopen?
For many of us, this has been the longest stretch of time between going to the movies since our first visit. As I write this blog, I honestly cannot remember the last movie I saw in a theater. Can you recall your last trip to the movies?
Chances are if you were “brave” enough to go to the movies it was unlikely you saw a blockbuster, since most big releases were delayed. Tenet was arguably the biggest movie released in 2020. Nine of the 10 highest grossing films of 2021 have been Chinese. Anyone see Hi, Mom? ($800 million) or how about Endgame? Not Avengers Endgame (2019), but the Chinese film Endgame which is the 4th highest grossing film so far in 2021 with $98 million.
Only one American film cracked the top ten and that was Tom and Jerry with a surprising $57 million haul and counting. Remember those James Bond trailers for Daniel Craig’s farewell performance as the British secret agent or seeing Scarlet Johansson return as Black Widow? That was over a year ago, but soon movie makers will stop playing kick the can with blockbuster movies.
The truth is it has already started with Warner Bros HBO Max deal when they started to release all their movies simultaneously in theaters and via the new streaming service. The biggest hit being Wonder Woman 84, but that only managed $37 million in box office receipts since it’s Christmas Day release. There was a significant uptick in subscriptions, but was that for WW84? If you listened to our podcast, and we know you did, perhaps you did the smart thing and popped in a Blu-ray of It’s a Wonderful Life instead?
If you have been paying attention to the news, some state Governors are telling businesses they can reopen and lift restrictions including the use of masks. Even though the U.S. is making great progress with vaccinations, telling people to burn their masks because the end is near may not be the timeliest message. It’s a bit like seeing a football player spike the ball on the 20-yard line. Everything is bigger in Texas including their push to throw open the doors. But as of this writing, the statistics show only 2.7 % of Texans have been vaccinated. Other states aren’t quite as confident as the Lone Star state opting to keep certain restrictions in place.
One problem with states making the rules is the issue of businesses in multiple states. For example, AMC movie theaters in Texas are open, but AMC in Massachusetts isn’t quite ready to fill the house. That causes a lot of resentment as evidenced in viral videos of people fighting over not wearing a mask. This kind of inconsistency in policy and practice will likely lead to more significant challenges.
How about you? Are you ready to sit in a crowded theater to see the latest movie releases? What if the guy next to you starts coughing or the woman behind you starts sneezing? Not sure about you, but I wasn’t comfortable with that before the pandemic and the last I checked we are still in the midst of it. Is there a certain movie that will lure you back? I’m not even sure a sequel to one of my Top 5 Films, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, would be enough to bring me back.
We want to hear from you. Have you already made the trek back to the movie house with bucket size popcorn and diet soda in hand to enjoy the latest Croods movie? Or are you planning to take things a bit more slowly? Perhaps you’ve been vaccinated and feel more confident in returning. Drop us a line at ohbpodcast@gmail.com and let us know where you stand on the topic.
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