Movie Theaters Won't Just Survive, They Might Just Get Better Too

The demise of movie theaters has become a monthly meme for the past year. Economists and journalists alike seem sure that the big theater chains won't survive the pandemic. And the biggest chains warning of impending bankruptcy seem to prove them right. Yet a more non-obvious perspective is emerging (which I believe), that this time may actually be helping the best theaters get even better.

As Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League explains, “I’ve never considered at-home streaming our competitor. We are an out-of-home experience. We’re competing against restaurants, bars, and clubs.” Theaters are still a great experience for movie lovers. It's one of the experiences I have missed most since the pandemic, and plan to return to almost immediately as soon as it's safe. I suspect I'm not alone either.