Theaters as we knew them do appear to be dead. I don't think I've gone to see a movie since Covid and when I drive past theaters I don't see a lot of cars in the parking lots.
I don't think there's been anything showing though that I've wanted to see in a long time. Hollywood gets the blame for that.
Cost to see a movie is also a big issue.
It feels like the small theaters though are making a come back. I see plenty of "art house" theaters in Kansas City ... even a drive-in or two are appearing. These surely don't require the high-end playback equipment and tend to, IMHO, show better and more varied content.
It's also been out for a month, and they went to it on the last day it was playing (at their particular theater), which is usually going to be a wednesday or thursday. Cinema attendance is pretty low mid week. At my local cinema, I have a 75% chance of a private showing if I go to a wednesday showing in the first week; but a larger nearby chain has more screens and larger attendence.
I try to go to the local one if I go, because I would like it to stay in business, but they don't carry all the movies. And I just put in a home theater, so it's nice to use that when I can.
This has been my experience my whole life, growing up in a midsize city. Go to a matinee on a Wednesday and you are basically guaranteed to be the only ones there. It was less common in Austin but would still happen about half the time even pre-Covid.
> It feels like the small theaters though are making a come back
These are the only places I watch movies anymore. The overall experience tends to be much better. The screens are smaller, the quality of the sound and image tends to be a bit less, but that doesn't matter because they are also missing many of the things that makes going to the movies unpleasant. On the whole, I find myself actually enjoying the experience in them, unlike the "big guys".
It also helps that I don't tend to enjoy the sorts of movies that are in fashion these days, so the fact that the boutique places don't have first-run movies isn't a minus to me.
I don't think there's been anything showing though that I've wanted to see in a long time. Hollywood gets the blame for that.
Cost to see a movie is also a big issue.
It feels like the small theaters though are making a come back. I see plenty of "art house" theaters in Kansas City ... even a drive-in or two are appearing. These surely don't require the high-end playback equipment and tend to, IMHO, show better and more varied content.