The re-release ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithjust proved wrong some comments about the theatergoing experience from the head of Netflix. For the film’s 20th anniversary,Star Warsfans got the opportunity torewatchRevenge of the Sithin theaters. This comes around a week afterNetflix CEO Ted Sarandos commented on theaters, specifically how the streaming service is"saving Hollywood.“Sarandos claimed that the theatergoing experience is becoming an outdated model of watching movies and that more consumers prefer to watch big releases at home in modern times.
For many, these comments are interesting, to put it mildly. On one hand, Sarandos' comments could be seen as logical, especially given the amount of2024 movies that struggled at the box office. That said, the comments are admittedly short-sighted, as cinema-goers around the world continue to prove. Despite not having released a newStar Warsmovie in theaters since 2019, Lucasfilm proved Sarandos wrong almost immediately after his comments, thanks to the strongbox office ofRevenge of the Sithupon its aforementioned theatrical re-release.
Revenge Of The Sith Just Blew Sarandos' Comments Out Of The Water
The Re-Release Typified The Appetite To See Movies On The Big Screen
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithwas released in theaters once more on Friday, April 25, in the same week as Sarandos' comments. Evidently, this could not have been more perfectly timed. Across its three-day weekend,Revenge of the Sithearned a worldwide total of $42.2 million. This placesRevenge of the Sithas the highest-grossing re-release theStar Warsfranchise has had since Disney acquired it in 2012. If this proves anything, it is that Sarandos is wrong and audiences still desire to see movies in theaters.
If Sarandos was correct and audiences truly did prefer to forego the theatergoing experience for watching movies at home,Revenge of the Sith’s re-release would have been a failure…
To rub more salt into Sarandos' wound,Revenge of the Sithis a movie that is 20 years old. As such, the film can be watched worldwide on one of Netflix’s main competitors, Disney+. Therefore, if Sarandos was correct and audiences truly did prefer to forego the theatergoing experience for watching movies at home,Revenge of the Sith’s re-release would have been a failure. After all, Disney+ makes the movie easier than ever for anyone with a subscription to watch at home. With people flocking to the theater to catch it on the big screen, though, the cinema experience remains unbeaten.
Revenge Of The Sith Isn’t The Only Box Office Hit Right Now
The Box Office Landscape Of 2025 Continues To Impress
AlthoughRevenge of the Sith’s status as a re-release proves Sarandos' comments wrong more than anything, it is not the only successful movie at the box office currently. The weekend of April 25-27 proved incredibly busy for most movies playing in theaters, with the smash-hitA Minecraft Moviepushing its way past an $800 million global haul. Then there isThe Accountant 2, which debuted with a worldwide total of just under $40 million, which is certainly impressive given the stiff competition.
Perhaps the biggest success story at the box office at the moment, though, is Ryan Coogler’sSinners. The original movie performed incredibly well over its first weekend, yet its second weekend of April 25-27 may be even more impressive. Domestically,Sinnersrecorded a record-low drop in its second weekend, earning $45 million after its opening of $48 millionand proving just how strong the allure of the theater still is. Only James Cameron’s originalAvatarmovie saw a smaller dip in weekend-to-weekend box office for movies that opened above $40 million thanSinnersin cinematic history.
The Lesson Is Clear: People Still Want To Go To The Theater
Netflix Still Cannot Compete With The Big-Screen Experience
Overall, the success of original movies likeSinners, big IPs likeA Minecraft Movie, and classic franchises likeStar Warsonly proves that people still desire the theater experience. Other movies have proven this in 2025, just as they did in 2024 and many other years before that. While Sarandos' comments likely come from the slight decrease in overall box office as of late, other factors can be attributed to this; cost of living crises are ongoing around the world, potentially making the theater a less viable option for more people now than it used to be.
Despite that reality,Revenge of the Sith’s re-release,Sinners' record-breaking success, and other movies of 2025 are proving one reality is still true: audiences will go to the cinema if they are given a reason to. Movies of high quality still need to be produced, and it is another argument entirely whether this has become less common of late, but there are still many projects that prove to resonate with audiences. The very weekend after Sarandos' Netflix comments, several theatrical releases proved as much. Evidently, the theater is still alive and kicking, which, for cinephiles around the world, can never be bad news.
