Disney’s “Encanto” and Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” have been box office hits- a optimistic premise for theaters trying to get back on their feet post-pandemic.

With the amount content offered throughout the various streaming services we have access to, it’s easy to forget about the theater-exclusive films that are released. But with families together for the Thanksgiving holiday, heading out to the movies is once again an activity worthwhile- and thank goodness there are two films that are neither franchised or rebooted that both adults and kids can enjoy this holiday. CNN Business reported, “Disney’s ‘Encanto,’ an animated film featuring music written by ‘Hamilton’ creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, is expected to have a $35 million domestic opening over the five-day holiday — enough to win the weekend. As for MGM’s ‘House of Gucci,’ a true crime film starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, that film could slide into the No. 2 spot.”

This is welcome news for The Motion Picture Association. The 2020 global pandemic hit the entertainment industry particularly hard. According to Forbes, movie theater turnout had dropped from the billions in yearly attendance to only about 240 million in 2020- an all-time low. Now that businesses are back open and much of the country is fully vaccinated, people are flocking back to theaters for the full over-priced experience. Alright, alright- that may have been a little cynical, but I’ve never gotten over the fact that I had to pay $6 for Milk Duds when I went out to see the Dune reboot. Speaking of reboots (smooth transition), it’s theorized that both “Encanto” and “House of Gucci” have been so successful for not being connected to any other films. In the past decade, viewers have been bombarded with films that further a story; Star Wars, Marvel, James Bond, and even a live action Clifford the Big Red Dog has it the big screen. However, “Encanto” and “House of Gucci” are giving audiences a breath of fresh air by having their story stand on their own, and the impressive box office numbers should serve as a lesson for film executives- originality is key! That’s not to say that those are the only two movies worth watching in theaters right now. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” have both been commercial and critical success in the mainstream thus far.

With so much content striving for our attention right now, as well as aspects of the lockdown still impacting business, it’s easy to see how movie theaters have struggled. Though, these box office numbers are promising in getting back to that normality that we all crave. So now may be the perfect time to grab your friends, hide some snacks in your bag, and enjoy a film on the big screen again! (Not Clifford though, no one needs to see that.)