MAUMEE, Ohio — Christmas weekend is usually reserved for box office blockbusters. And while there's no doubt things are different this year, that remained the case with the release of Warner Brother's Wonder Woman 1984.
It's the first major studio release to hit theaters in months and one of the few during the pandemic. And while the holidays are always one of the busiest times of the year for theaters, the superheroine sequel helped continue that trend.
If you take a trip to your local Cinemark theater, you'll see plenty of signs of all the different safety measures that are being taken. The theater at Fallen Timbers in Maumee certainly looks a bit different, but moviegoers say the experience is still the same.
"This is the first time we've been in a movie theater since February," said moviegoer Dave Bell.
That's the case for many people around the country this year. Chain theaters were closed for much of the year with hardly any big studio movies being released. Bell says he's missed heading out to the theater, enjoying some movie popcorn and candy and some quality father-son time.
"I think everyone is feeling a little stir crazy," said Bell. "We're not going out with a lot of people. It was just our family for Christmas. And we wanted to go out and do something together."
Moviegoers say they feel safe with the measures in place. Masks are required. Theaters are disinfected after each showing. And seating allows for social distancing with whole rows roped off and seats separating you and the next group.
"There's disinfecting wipes right at the entrance of the door so you can wipe down your seat," Bell said, "and the cloth seats are all gone, it's just pleather or leather."
Wonder Woman 1984 is already on track to have the best three-day opening of any movie during the pandemic. It's also is the first major film to be released at the same time on a streaming service, HBO Max, causing theaters to worry about their future. But Dave's son, Connor, says theaters are still the best way to watch.
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"I'm really hoping movie theaters stick around because I enjoy it more than watching at home," he said. "The loudspeakers are really nice and the big screen is always a lot better than watching on my phone."
Streaming at home definitely looks like it will become more of an option with the effects of the pandemic and people not flocking back to theaters in a hurry.
But people at the cinema say film and movie theaters will make a comeback next year.