The United States releases anywhere from 400 to 800 movies in theaters in any given year. It’s highly likely that at some point in your life you’ve probably been to the Movie Tavern to see the latest Marvel or Avatar movie.
Obviously, films are released theatrically at all times of the year, from January to December, but there’s still a lingering question in the backs of people’s minds: why do movies come out on the holidays?
Every year September approaches, and the phrase dons almost every billboard and every poster. “In theaters Thanksgiving,” or “Coming to a theater near you, Christmas 2025.” Who goes to see a movie on a day meant for celebrating? Wouldn’t this tactic tank all of these films in the box office?
As it turns out, the answer is no. In 2024, Nosferatu made $180 million, more than tripling its’ original $50 million budget. Spiderman: No Way Home grossed $1.9 billion after its’ Christmas day release in 2021.
Clearly, money is not a problem. In fact, people pile into theaters on Christmas day almost every year to catch matinees. Still, this isn’t why distribution companies do this.
Distributors save films which they think will be the most commercially or critically successful for the end of the year, where people are on breaks from work and school. However, they also like to pile their best bets into the end of the year so they are fresh on audiences’ minds to gain more prestige when it comes to awards.
Films which release in the final months of the year are known as “tentpoles” and are often parts of franchises, or are projected to have the most nominations at shows like the Oscars or the Golden Globes. To be eligible for any of these awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences requires that a movie shows for seven consecutive days in theaters in LA, while simultaneously being advertised in print media.
What about the movies that come out during the other nine months of the year? A lot of these films are from smaller studios or feature a cast which is mostly obscure, resulting in lower ticket sales and less media attention. Very rarely do movies which come out in January or February ever get nominated or do particularly well in box office.
Horror films are also more prone to being released towards the end of the year, usually because major studios associate dark weather and short days with the sense of foreboding found in these types of movies.
Recently, the introduction of streaming services into the film world has created an endless flow of content, which makes it feel like new movies are coming out all the time. While this is true, the reality is still that streaming services follow similar schedules as those of major studios, strategically timing the releases of films which have the potential to do well critically.
The film industry is always changing. More and more low quality films are being produced and released all year, sometimes simply with the intention of making good films look even better. Most Netflix original releases are nothing to brag about.
All in all, the real question is simple. Who cares about whether or not the movie comes out on Christmas day, or Thanksgiving? What the studios want to know is whether or not you’re going to be sitting in the front row.
