Tickets to Avengers: Endgame's opening weekend are selling in record numbers, and those who are trying to get a ticket to the big night at this stage in the game will have to pay quite a hefty price. Some may not even be that lucky and will be forced to sit at home Thursday night in sadness while their friends and family scuttle off to the cinema to watch the three hour and two minute-long conclusion to the MCU's Phase 3.
It's a sad feeling, although those who weren't able to snag a ticket to their local theater shouldn't be discouraged in the slightest. Believe it or not, missing out on a debut showing of a highly anticipated film isn't the end of the world. In fact, there's an argument to be made that skipping out on opening night and midnight showings may be a better option, especially when compared to other available options.
Bottom line, it's ok if you can't see Avengers: Endgame on Thursday, and I've got a bunch of reasons why I'm not upset about missing out in the slightest.
First, let's start with the fact that no movie, even one as highly anticipated as Avengers: Endgame, is worth the finders fee folks are charging online. Online resale value has some asking hundreds of dollars for their tickets, and others swinging for the fences with their asking price in the thousands. Others are less extreme and want a more reasonable $50, which may be a price some with the cash may be willing to spend.
Let's make one thing clear: paying a premium to see Avengers: Endgame on opening weekend may not be the best decision. For starters, theaters are in the business of making money, and if tickets continue to sell at the rate they are going, odds are more screenings will be made available for more people to attend. It seems theaters aren't just going to throw up their hands and say no to more money.
Plus, the thought of paying anything more than general admission for an opening night showing of a blockbuster movie is atrocious given past experiences. It's taken nearly 30 years and dozens of screenings to come to this realization, but midnight and first-day screenings are among the worst screenings one can attend.
Sure, it's easy to get caught up in the fun. Everyone is excited they're among the first to see a movie, there might be people there dressed as characters in the film and everyone is riding high on the emotion that their long wait is finally over. It's an intoxicating feeling, but it comes with its downsides. As others may attest to, when it comes to midnight screenings, the common courtesy of average filmgoing tends to go out the window.
The biggest common occurrence is applause. Audiences will break out in applause for the opening credits, any major character's first appearance and whatever else may come along the way. While that's fine for a live performance, characters in films don't hold for applause before delivering the next line. While the person next to you is clapping hands together like a keyed-up circus seal, you might be missing a meaningful line that can't be heard until the next time you see it.
Laughter is another big one, and another thing that occurs often and in excessive amounts at big-ticket Marvel releases. It's understandable since Marvel films can be humorous, and by no means am I trying to shame folks for laughing during the movie. People are free to enjoy the movie they paid for however they like, but for those who want to hear dialogue, extended audience laugh breaks are another thing that gets in the way of that.
There's also heckling, which may not occur in every first-day screening I've attended, but it definitely seems to happen quite a lot. Again, it makes sense, especially when the folks most excited and passionate about the Marvel universe will be amongst the few willing to do "whatever it takes" to secure those first showings.
Some of these people are the same folks who want a pleasant theater going experience, and some of those are the type who screamed at the screen in panic "WHAT'S HAPPENING?" when Leia got sucked out into space during Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Again, these types of theater outbursts aren't exclusive to opening night screenings, but there definitely feels like there's more of it.
Let's remember on top of all of the above that the run time for Avengers: Endgame is a little over three hours long. Even in the most ideal of circumstances, there's going to be more than a few tired eyes during the late showings as the film reaches its most pivotal moments. Falling asleep or missing some key moments due to nodding off is not ideal.
With all of that said, I do understand and respect the urgency of seeing Avengers: Endgame as quickly as possible. It only takes one errant headline, actor or one over-enthusiastic friend to ruin a major plot point, and learning it before viewing can drastically lessen the moviegoing experience. So, how does someone who doesn't wish to be spoiled still get a chance to see one of the first showings free from distractions or fatigue?
Two words, "matinee showing." If you're someone not bound to the restrictions of a 9-5 job, or someone with some vacation time to burn, buy a ticket for an early showing on Friday. You'll get a relatively empty theater, plenty of rest and perhaps even a discounted ticket price for going at an odd hour. It's literally the perfect solution, especially for those who may be considering calling in Friday anyway to recover from the night before.
And if Friday is absolutely out of the question, Saturday and Sunday morning screenings are likely just as available. So there's no need to panic about ticket sales, or the fact that you may not see Avengers: Endgame on opening day. There's still plenty of time to make another game plan for a showing, so get a strategy together and create an experience that, in my opinion, is far more optimal than the typical "midnight screening" experience.
Avengers: Endgame is in many theaters Thursday, April 25, but again, audiences will be able to see it any day following for quite a while. Keep with CinemaBlend before and after the premiere for more updates on Marvel, analysis on the film and where the studio is headed in Phase 4. For more on Avengers: Endgame, and how to prepare for it, check out the two films the Russo brothers said fans should watch before the premiere.
