Hollywood keeps trying to manufacture “event” blockbusters out of every superhero and legacy sequel, and audiences have stopped buying it. Meanwhile, horror and anime—once treated as niche curiosities—are packing theaters with genuine urgency. The Conjuring: Last Rites and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle prove it: smaller budgets, passionate fans, and cultural moments that feel worth showing up for. Horror has the staying power, anime has the spectacle, and together they might just be the real lifeline for theaters.
The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere Could Pass $1 Billion
The Wizard of Oz is pulling in $2 million a day at Las Vegas’s Sphere, turning an 86-year-old movie into the year’s most profitable “blockbuster.” With $200 tickets, 16K screens, and 4D effects, it’s less film revival than spectacle—and it may reshape how Hollywood thinks about the big screen.
Hollywood After Dark 