The COVID-19 pandemic caused a substantial dip in profit for box office movies, since the lockdown left many watching new movies in the safety of their own homes.  

Before COVID-19, some of the greatest blockbusters were grossing huge sums of money. Popular movies such as Avatar, which is the top-grossing movie, earned about $2.8 billion and Avengers: Endgame grossed $2.7 billion. 

“I think that Avengers: Endgame was so popular because it was not a sequel but a finisher to Avengers: Infinity War, and as everyone knows, Infinity War didn’t end on a satisfying note, so everyone wanted to see Endgame so they could end the story,” said Shantelle Tupaz (‘24).

During the pandemic, more movies like Mulan and Trolls: World Tour were released through streaming, not by traditional theater. Box office profits suffered as more money went to different streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+.

“Streaming at home in recent years has been a preference because of COVID-19 and the amount of exposure at a theater, and I can understand wanting to watch a movie in the comfort of one’s own home too,” said Nolan Lees (‘23).

In December of 2021, Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson sued Disney and won, as she lost over $60 million by the movie being released in both theaters and Disney+.

“Since the agreement for a dual-release wasn’t on the contract, Disney should not have released it on Disney+ and Scarlett Johansson ended up losing millions, ” said Niel Pal (‘25).

Although there were doubts of the success of movies back in theaters, recent statistics have quickly shown massive profits for new hits like Spider-Man: No Way Home. According to reports in Variety, it has grossed more than $1.69 billion globally.

“I really enjoyed how they brought together all three Spidermans and other characters. I think that’s why it became such a big hit,” said Janani Prasad (‘23).

As COVID-19 cases in the US spiral downwards as of March 2022, theaters are now fully open and are bustling with people. Streaming has its benefits, but ultimately, most prefer the in-person viewing experience.

“I like theaters because I enjoy the larger screen which leads to a much more interesting cinematic experience. I also like the ambience of the theater and all the snacks you can get, ” said Paul Lee (‘24).