From "Lilo and Stitch" to "Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning*,"* the holiday weekend could see movie theaters packed.
But undoubtedly some viewers might patiently wait to watch these films from their couch. What motivates people to buy a ticket to go to the movie theater?
As gloomy skies hovered outside AMC's Rosedale 14 it made for a perfect midweek, matinee escape.
"I'm mainly just going because it's a rainy day and I have the AMC A-list pass," said Ian Tuma of Saint Paul. He was at the theater to see "Hurry Up Tomorrow*,"* as was another customer WCCO chatted with. Matt Cook, in town on a business trip, had time between meetings to catch "Thunderbolts."
While they enjoy nearly empty auditoriums, that won't be the case for moviegoers over Memorial Day Weekend and possibly all summer.
"It's a hit parade from now all through Labor Day weekend for movie theaters," said Paul Dergerabedian.
He's a senior media analyst for Comscore who couldn't be more excited for the slate of films hitting the big screen in the months ahead, including "Superman," "Fantastic Four," "Karate Kid: Legends" and more.
"I just think that the frequency of these films, the cadence is going to create so much momentum. They're going to wind up with a summer that in terms of box office, winds up in the realm of over $4 billion, which is what was traditionally generated for the North American box office in the pre-pandemic era," he said.
That's a fantastic forecast for the industry considering those same films will eventually land on streaming services, for rent or for free.
For a family of four you rent a movie for $20, that's way cheaper than coming to see to see a movie (in theater)," said Cook.
Dergarabedian however feels the two viewing experiences are not in competition.
"Movie going in theater and streaming are additive and complimentary, not adversarial in my view," he said.
Research appears to back him up.
A survey by Roku and the National Research Group found streaming service users average seeing about eight movies in theaters per year. And 61% of users say if a movie is released in theaters and on streaming at the same time they'd prefer to go to the theater.
What motivates you to see a movie in theater?
"Definitely the big screen, the good sound," said Tuma, adding that the experience helps him focus rather than get distracted by his phone or things at home.
"That real big, pounding bass sound where you actually feel it. That's not something I get at home," said Cook.
Dergerabedian said going to the movies is built into our culture and learned from childhood.
"I just think it's the experiential part, it's the communal part of it, it's the prestige factor."
The price for a ticket and snacks is often the main reason people prefer to watch movies from home.
Still, certain screens continue to pull in viewers no matter the cost.
"When you look at how much the percentage of box office is generated by the premium formats, IMAX, Dolby Vision, all those premium experiences that cost more, that's a part of the industry that's growing," said Dergerabedian.
Not all polls are as positive for movie theaters. An IndieWire report found 34% of U.S. adults prefer to watch movies in theaters, meaning nearly two thirds of respondents would rather watch a moving on a streaming service.
Jeff Wagner
Jeff Wagner joined the WCCO-TV team in November 2016 as a general assignment reporter, and now anchors WCCO's Saturday evening newscasts. Although he's new to Minnesota, he's called the Midwest home his entire life.