ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The spring and summer movie blockbuster season is officially here, and there appears to be no shortage of potential movie options for customers.
Southgate Cinema 6 owner Brian Mitchell said he hopes to build upon what has been seen for the past several months, which has seen both positive and negative trends.
“We ended last summer with the gangbuster 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon that had 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' going head-to-head, and that brought in a lot of people, which was great,” Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, however, around that same time was when the writers' strike was going on, which ended up pushing multiple projects back – they'd anticipated some sort of resolution by Labor Day, but the whole strike ultimately ended up lasting about six months or so, meaning we didn't really have any new movies to show, and production on several movies was also stopped. Multiple movies ended up being shifted around, and that's affected the movie marketplace even now – last weekend was when 'Deadpool and Wolverine' was supposed to open, but it got pushed back to July. The last few months have had a lower than usual selection of films for people, but I'm happy to say we're getting over that hump that was created by the strike and the delays it caused and we're starting to get more movies in the pipeline. The winter and earlier this spring were a little rough because of that lack of options, but there are more movies showing up now for the summer.”
So far, Mitchell said, there is a lot to be excited about.
“The summer box office typically starts the first weekend in May, but that's gotten a slower start than usual, and that's the case for everyone right now. Something else I'm really excited about is how we're starting to get more family-oriented movie options, because we haven't really had too many of those these past few months, which is kind of strange for us,” Mitchell said. “On the family movie side, we've got 'IF,' 'The Garfield Movie,' 'Inside Out 2' and 'Despicable Me 4,' among some others, and I think those will do really well. Two of the bigger releases we're expecting will be 'Deadpool and Wolverine' and 'Twisters,' and it was last weekend when 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' was released, and I think that will also end up doing really well. There's also another 'A Quiet Place' film coming out, along with both chapters of Kevin Costner's 'Horizon: An American Saga' project. With all of that, it's quite a variety for people to choose from.”
Given how last summer’s season went, Mitchell said he is glad to have movies coming out again.
“I'm just glad we're getting new movies in the pipeline – when you have only one new movie opening per week, which is what we've been dealing with for a little while, there's just not as much excitement,” Mitchell said. “People like a variety of movies at the theatre, and when we can provide that, we see more of them in the seats. We'll be dealing with the effects of the strike for a little while yet, but we're moving more and more toward what we normally see, and we're really happy to see that.”
Mitchell also admitted last summer’s strike is not the only factor the movie industry has to keep in mind when it comes to recovery.
“The industry overall is still recovering, in multiple ways. The COVID-19 pandemic was a HUGE hit to the theatre industry, especially since streaming became so popular, and we're starting to recover from that. The studios are also realizing movies work better in the theaters because people don't want to be cooped up at home all the time anymore, so people are starting to come back to the theatres again,” Mitchell said. “We probably won't fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic for a few years yet, but the numbers are starting to get better, and everyone's optimistic.”
With the wide variety of options that will be available, Mitchell said he hopes to see a lot of patrons at the movies this summer.
“We've kept the ticket prices the same since we bought the theatre in 2009, and we're working to keep those prices, along with the prices of our concessions, affordable for everyone so they keep coming in. There's a lot of stress in the world right now, and movies are a good way to help alleviate that because what's a better afternoon or evening out than with a movie and friends or your significant other?” Mitchell said. “I hope to see things go back to the way it used to be with the theater experience, seeing a movie in a crowded, dark auditorium with other people who are laughing/crying/screaming at the same things you are. It's all about that sense of community – you can watch movies at home and/or on TV, but there's something about watching a movie in a theater with other people that just can't be beat.”
Overall. Mitchell said, he is looking forward to seeing how the summer plays out.
“Mitchell Theaters is with Fandago now in regards to people being able to purchase tickets online, and we're really excited about that. We appreciate all the customers who have come out and watched movies, and we'll continue to do our best to make sure people feel comfortable coming in and watching a movie, and I hope that will continue,” Mitchell said. “If you've got a free afternoon or evening this season and you're looking for something to do, come out and see a movie!”
