Moviegoers return in force as 2 films pack North Texas theaters
North Texans say two films – The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day – may be the clearest signs that audiences are returning to movie theaters.
"Escapism. Escapism. Everybody wants to go to these movies and take that escapism," Julius Arbrone said.
Arbrone believes people want to leave life behind for two to three hours and follow someone else's story. He may be right: movie fans continue to pack theaters for The Odyssey. The coveted IMAX 70mm screenings at Cinemark Webb Chapel Road are scheduled through September. Box office reports show the film has earned $344,525,415 domestically since opening July 17.
"This is going to sound silly. I literally almost cried coming out of it because never have I felt like I was actually in a movie before," Andre Dobbs said.
Dobbs, a movie lover and movie theater employee – though not at Cinemark – said he noticed signs of moviegoers returning to theaters with Dune in 2021.
"Yes, people are more picky. Yes, their habits have changed," he said. "Yes, they don't really watch everything. They're way more selective about what they spend their time and money on."
When they do show up, they show up in big numbers. Plano-based Cinemark reported earning $1.09 billion in Q2, a 15.5% year-over-year increase.
AMC Theatres, which also has a major presence in North Texas, reported $1.6 billion in revenue over the same period – a 14.2% increase. The company said the fiscal milestones marked the highest quarterly revenue in its 106-year history.
Regal Cinemas/Regal Entertainment Group is owned privately by Cineworld.
"It has to be opening night as soon as you can watch it. That's what this movie requires. That's what this franchise demands," Joseph Hastings said.
Hastings arrived at the Cinemark theater wearing a webbed mask, showing his love for the franchise and characters Peter Parker and Spider-Man.
"There's no way you can watch it at home. That's how I personally feel. This movie requires you to be out here, to be amongst fellow Spider-Man fans, to enjoy, to share laughs, to share the excitement, the sadness, everything," he said. "Experience all those emotions together."
Streaming remains a convenient option for many, but Frank Ramirez and Juliana Gonzalez said it can't compete with hot buttered popcorn from the concession stand. Gonzalez said they've even bought theater popcorn to take home. They've been drawn back to the theater — it's where they had their first date.
"We've kind of been starting to shy away from subscriptions and all that, and we've actually been buying a bunch of DVDs. Physical movies. Physical media and whatnot," Ramirez said. "And I feel like that's coming back as well, like all the rage right now. Mainly because movie companies and streaming services remove movies that we want to watch."
Joshua Torres' fiancée was among the many who helped Spider-Man: Brand New Day break the all-time preview record previously set by Avengers: Endgame, with $60 million in sales, according to Yahoo Entertainment. The webslinger's audience stayed strong, earning $72 million in previews.
"She had just randomly hit me with the, 'I bought tickets to the Spider-Man movie.' And all my heart started racing, man. I'm telling you, I was super excited about it," Torres said.
