(WXYZ) — Since the start of the pandemic, the fierce race between theaters and streamers has been on the rise, especially with the latter having the home advantage. But Paul Glantz from Emagine Entertainment says nothing beats the magic of silver screens.
"I think folks are coming back and they are coming back in big numbers particularly if you look at results from Spider-man from the past week, it's setting records," said Paul Glantz, Chairman & Co-Founder, Emagine Entertainment.
In fact, in terms of attracting guests, Glantz says Emagine is outperforming its competitors compared to 2019. Even with studio sharing release rights with other platforms.
"We were accustomed to having film and having them exclusively for a period of time, and even today with the Matrix, we are sharing it with HBO Max and so that in itself is going to take 5% or 10% of our guests," says Glantz.
This holiday weekend has also helped boost the numbers.
Just this Friday and Saturday combined, Emagine clocked in 91,000 guests across 30 of its theaters in the US, bringing in 1.5 million dollars.
"It's been proven time and time again, that a picture that performs well at the box office has much greater value in the streaming platforms that we are after," says Glantz.
Heated reclining seats to olive oil popcorn are some of the many attractions at Emagine Theatres but Glantz says in the new normal it’s also about supplementing movies with other forms of entertainment.
Glantz says, "We are piloting a sports lounge concept, where folks can come and watch live sporting events, we’re going to kick that off with the Michigan State bowl game that’s coming up on December 30, 2020."
The lounge features a two stories high and 40 feet widescreen and is capable of showcasing multiple live sporting events at once.
But for many, the star attraction will always be the premium large-format screens paired up with the Dolby surround sound.
From 'Spider-man: No Way Home' to the 'Matrix Resurrections' and many more, Paul says there is something for everyone to enjoy their favorite flick on the big screen. Plus, with all safety measures in place, the best part is the tickets prices remain the same.
