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"The Spodyssey" movie event was the highlight of my summer.
On Saturday afternoon, I laughed and then cried while watching Marvel's "Spider-Man: A Brand New Day" with friends at a Pittsburgh theater, and on Sunday night, I grabbed dinner before watching Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" with Josh to celebrate our anniversary.
I'm one of millions who made it out early August to watch the dual(ish) movie premire in theatres, and box office sales reflect that statement.
As of Monday afternoon, "Spider-Man: A Brand New Day" amassed $39 million this week, ahead of "Barbie" at $33.9 million, according to Rotten Tomatoes. "The Odyssey" earned a $303 million worldwide total in its first week, beating "Oppenheimer" with $230 million, Forbes states.
A common misconception is that people only watch movies at home, using streaming service giants such as Netflix and Hulu. While many Americans are swapping on demand television for cable, it's a different story for movie theatres.
Cultural phenomena, like "The Spodyssey," make people want to spend their hard-earned money on movie tickets, buttery popcorn and blue slushies (my personal combination).
Since watching both films in theatres, I was reminded of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' conversation with Time magazine editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs about the global box office in April 2026.
"What does that say? What is the consumer trying to tell us? That they'd like to watch movies at home, thank you. The studios and the theaters are duking it out over trying to preserve this 45-day window that is completely out of step with the consumer experience of just loving a movie," Sarandos said, according to Variety.
Sanrandos couldn't be more wrong.
Creating a good movies means good writing, good acting and good production. People can watch it alone or with friends. But what happens when a movie becomes a cult classic?
Take Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" for example. I remember sitting in the theatre with Josh -- we were dressed up as Barbie and Ken -- watching people walk in wearing hot pink boas, hot pink skirts and hot pink dresses.
I wouldn't dress up as Barbie to watch the movie in my own home; it wouldn't be fun.
While it's obviously more desirable to watch movies in theaters, many people don't have a choice: theater tickets are expensive, especially in an economy of rising grocery costs.
Across all demographics, the biggest barrier to attending movie theatres is coordinating schedules, finding time and getting deals on tickets, according to Forbes.
CableTV.com says the average movie theater ticket price is almost $15 in Pennsylvania, which is below the national average of $16 per ticket. An average movie date night of two tickets and a large popcorn is $54.
Across all demographics, the biggest barrier to attending movie theatres is coordinating schedules, finding time and getting deals on tickets, Forbes said.
It's difficult to justify a $50 date night rather than $50 in groceries.
Despite the cost of movie tickets, people are still contributing to movie theaters, especially Generation Z.
According to Forbes, Generation Z attends more movie theaters compared to other generations, citing their desire to leave their homes. Especially because Generation Z grew up during the COVID-19 pandemic, they can easily understand that isolation isn't always the best option.
As someone who finished 11th grade wearing a mask and social distancing, I enjoy watching a new movie in theaters to be a part of something bigger.
There's something comforting about wearing a Spider-Man shirt to a theater and noticing people wearing Spider-Man jackets, Spider-Man hats and even Spider-Man costumes walking into the building or in nearby chairs. Streaming services can't replace that feeling.
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414 and can be found on Instagram and Facebook @colettecostlow.