The state of the film industry has been in a unique place since the pandemic, where it was unclear if the business would even be able to survive. It did just that, although even MCU movies like The Marvels struggled at the box office. Most recently a number of exciting events have hit theaters, such as Taylor Swift’s Eras film and Beyonce’s Renaissance. And after seeing Renaissance as well as Broadway’s Waitress thanks to Fathom, I think special events are my new favorite movie theater outing.
There’s something special about going to the cinema, including wolfing down a bucket of buttery popcorn. But while concerns about superhero fatigue are growing, special events have brought something new and exciting to theaters. I loved seeing Renaissance as someone who missed the tour, and recently followed that up with Waitress' proshot, which felt like seeing Disney+’s Hamilton on the big screen. I had a blast with both of these events, which makes me think I should try and see more of them.
The Renaissance film scratched a serious itch for me, helping to cure my FOMO from not seeing the tour in person. I finally got to dance with my friends, participate on the mute challenge, plus so much more. When I bought tickets for Waitress for the next week, I wasn’t sure if it would be able to bring me quite as much joy.
But it did just that. Despite the fact that I’d seeing Waitress twice on Broadway before it closed, the movie event that arrived in theaters via Fathom offered something new: seeing pop star Sara Bareilles in the leading role of Jenna. She wrote the show’s music, but didn’t play the role on stage until its final days. So paying the money to see the filmed version offered me the chance to see and hear her belt out those tracks up and close.
Waitress’ Fathomtrailer showed just how gorgeous Bareilles’ performance was, and the final product definitely did not disappointed. While seats in Broadway theaters can be somewhat cramped, it felt luxurious to watch the show in the comfort of a reclining chair. Plus, Broadway houses are notoriously lacking in that magical popcorn scent.
It should be interesting to see how these types of projects continue to influence the film industry as a whole. Taylor Swift's Eras movie broke records at the box office, and had numerous Swifties dancing in the aisles. I’m interested to see if a trend emerges with concerts and special events. Having gone to my first showing from Fathom, I’m definitely excited to see more special events.
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
