JACKSON, Wyo. — With a huge slate of studio blockbusters coming to theaters this summer, Hollywood box office forecasters are expecting a return to pre-pandemic attendance and sales. Jackson’s lone movie theater, MovieWorks Cinema, is on track to reflect the nationwide trend.
“We are not too much of an outlier,” MovieWorks Cinema Manager Meg Reeder told Buckrail. “There are quirks to Jackson, but as far as what the biggest movie is nationally, we’re usually right there.”
Reeder shared that the recent “Lilo & Stitch” remake was quite popular with locals this spring, and she anticipates that other major releases (“F1” starring Brad Pitt, new installments in the “Superman,” “Jurassic Park” and “Fantastic Four” franchises) will also bring in big crowds. The “sheer number of blockbusters” on the schedule this summer, Reeder said, might end up posing a scheduling challenge at MovieWorks.
“There are so many big tentpoles and they’re so close together that it’s going to be hard to have them for a substantial amount of time,” Reeder said, noting that the theater has four screens and fewer seats per screening room to accommodate the larger reclining seats, installed in 2019.
To fit in all of the in-demand releases, sometimes a title will only get a one-week slot. Reeder encourages moviegoers to watch the theater’s schedule and to keep in mind that options can change from week to week.
“If there’s a movie you want to see, go within the first couple of weeks because we might not be able to play it for a long run,” she said. “People aren’t always on the ball here. They procrastinate. If you want to see a movie, see it quickly.”
Reeder pointed to both “The Materialists” and “The Phoenician Scheme” as recent smaller releases requested by moviegoers, noting that each film got a one-week run at MovieWorks. She added that Oscar-winners like “Anora” typically perform well with local audiences, sharing that a moviegoer in her 80s raved about that particular film.
Jackson’s tony reputation plays a part in the theater’s programming.
“We’re unique in that we’re a rural community that can even play something like ‘The Phoenician Scheme,'” Reeder said. “These film companies want these films played here. … A number of those people have houses — or friends who have houses — here.”
Balancing community interests with the sometimes populist-leaning tastes of visitors is part of life for most businesses in a tourist destination, and MovieWorks aims to offer something for everyone.
“It’s a little bit like a democracy and your votes are your ticket sales,” she said. “People are voting for ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ for big movies. This is ultimately a business that has to put the lights on.”
