You walk down the tight corridor, looking down and seeing the printed carpet and the broken pieces of popcorn kernels littering the floor. You get to the reclining, heated seat in a crowded theater with dimmed lights, only to look up and see the huge screen with loud trailers playing, showing what to expect from movies in the upcoming months. 

An all too familiar feeling, yet movie fanatics read these words and become nostalgic. Due to the pandemic, it was impossible to watch movies in theaters for months; now, with theaters slowly and safely reopening, fans look forward to movie release dates for 2021.

“Not being able to watch movies in theaters was difficult for me,” senior Ryan Duthie said. “The popcorn and soda and other snacks at the movie theater, as well as the speakers and large screen, is just something you can’t recreate at home.” 

Long before the pandemic, streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and more recently Disney Plus were already incredibly popular. However,  these services truly thrived. These services thrived during the pandemic, since many movies had to be streamed online. 

“I enjoy renting movies and watching them more from the comfort of my home rather than going out to see them,” sophomore Sophia Paleski said. “So not being able to watch in theaters hasn’t impacted me.” 

Throughout all of 2020, movies experienced delays in production, and were only released on streaming platforms. This, however, led to a drop in sales. Of the top 10 highest grossing films of 2020, there were none released after February, when COVID-19 first started making headlines in America. 

“I don’t think [the movie industry] will return to what it was before Corona,” senior Natalie Mikula said. “But I think the movie industry will capitalize on the virus and some industries will make movies about COVID-19.” 

At the end of the day, or in this case, year, all hope is not lost. Many companies announced movies to be released in 2021. 

Marvel, for example, is planning to release an abundance of new shows and movies on Disney Plus. Movies such as “Black Widow,” “Shag-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Eternals” and an untitled Spider Man movie are all expected to premiere in 2021. 

“I’m super excited about all of the new Marvel movies and shows because of the new plots and character development,” Duthie, whose favorite movie is Marvel’s “Iron Man,” said. 

Lots of Marvel fans await with excitement for the release of these movies. 

“I’m so happy they are releasing more marvel movies and shows because I love marvel,” Mikula said. “The action and characters are funny but also entertaining.” 

Mikula awaits the release of “Black Widow” and “Spider Man” in particular.

Since the first movie premiere almost 100 years ago, movies have left a lasting impact on all watchers, and after a chaotic year like 2020, movies especially provide a sense of hope for what’s to come in 2021. 

“Movies have changed my views on life because they give me a sense of an alternate reality,” Paleski said. “Watching movies gives me a sense of hope that the world isn’t such a dull place.”