40 years after original release, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back tops the box office
40 years after original release, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is leading box offices again
You never thought you would here this again, but Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back led the box office this weekend.
Yes, we know it released 40 years ago (and re-issued again 23 years ago), but we are here again thanks, in part, to drive-in theaters, which was first reported by Deadline.
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With the coronavirus pandemic closing most movie theaters, drive-ins have made a comeback. They have re-issued older movies, including The Empire Strikes Back and people taking advantage.
When you look at the numbers, it’s nothing Earth shattering considering of the box office weekends we have seen in recent years. Deadline reports 483 locations brought in $175,000, which leads to an estimated weekend take between $400,000-$500,000.
Other movies that have been re-issued recently include Ghostbusters and Jaws.
With so many of the regular entertainment outlets closed or limited, this has given a way for people to enjoy the movie-going experience without heading into an enclosed theater. This may also mean families are getting together to enjoy the movie and introducing a new generation of fans to Star Wars.
Some drive-ins have better quality accommodations than others, but it allows you to transport to a different time. You can just imagine what live was like when drive-ins were the norm and not the exception to the movie-going experience.
Will drive-ins be here to stay once move theaters are allowed to open? Who knows, but for now it’s fun to experience it just once. But at the very least it’s infusing a small bit of cash in an industry that has been hurt from the closures.
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If you can’t make it out to a drive-in, you can still stream all of the Star Wars movies on Disney+.