NEWS: Movie Theaters Have Highest Box Office Performance Since the Pandemic Started

It’s been a wild ride for the film industry this past year as most entertainment has made a debut through streaming services as opposed to movie theaters.

©Disney

Yet, things may be looking up for in-person entertainment as more films return back to theaters moving forward.

The Hollywood Reporter has stated that movie theaters experienced the highest box office revenue over the weekend since the pandemic started. The projected amount of money made in theater screenings was an estimated $25 million now that cinemas in popular places like New York City were able to reopen at 25% capacity.

AMC

Now that New York City is allowing 25% of its guests (or 50 people in a theater), there is hope for a steady climb in attendance and revenue. New York is the 2nd biggest moviegoing market in the U.S. behind Los Angeles. And, California could be opening more theaters again soon in the upcoming weeks. At this time, locations in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area have been welcoming visitors back.

AMC Theater in Disney Springs

Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian has stated, “Perhaps this could be interpreted as a turning point for the industry and a most welcome sign of the big screen recovery in-progress.” Much of this is due to the premiere of Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters over the weekend.

©Disney

Dergarabedian went on to say, “Fortunately movies this weekend drove solid overall numbers with Raya and the Last Dragon, Chaos Walking and Boogie, along with holdovers, bringing in a collectively impressive box office total of over $25 million. This is arguably the first ‘normal’ weekend since the start of the pandemic, benefiting from a combination of an appealing big screen lineup that drove a strong frame despite only 45 percent of theaters currently open in North America.”

©Disney

The box office on Christmas weekend didn’t do as well as this past weekend did with only $23.8 million earned with Wonder Woman 1984 opening in theaters. At this time last year in 2020, ticket sales in North America were a combined $101.2 million before revenue was quickly cut in half the following weekend at only $54.8 million. Since then, revenue for theaters and the film industry has been a struggle with multiple places closed.

AMC Theatre

However, many people have hope that things could get better after the record revenue this weekend during the pandemic. Jeff Goldstein, domestic distribution president at Warner Bros, noted that “It’s going to be slow and steady” as guests continue to return back to theaters. As more films make their ways into theaters, we’ll keep you updated with all the industry information you need to know!

Here’s what the finale of WandaVision could mean for the future of the MCU!

Have you been to a movie theater recently? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Trending Now

Rachel Franko has been going to Disney Parks since she was a baby, and her love of Disney has only grown into a SLIGHT obsession since! She's been writing for AllEars since 2019 and loves sharing the magic with all the readers. When she's not writing, you can catch her heading to Disney and Universal Studios with a heart full of dreams and a backpack full of themed ears!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

One Reply to “NEWS: Movie Theaters Have Highest Box Office Performance Since the Pandemic Started”

  1. I just went to AMC movie theater yesterday to see Raya and the Last Dragon. There were probably twenty people in a large theater. Masks on except when eating. Let me say that Raya was a lovely film. The water dragon Sisu stole my heart. This is a movie to see over and over again, it’s that good. Plenty of humor and action. Emotional. Not preachy. Just offering up a bit of hope and optimism. Go see it. It’s really that good. The short before it was excellent also