Olsen describes theaters as a vital space for shared human connection and refuses to star in movies without theatrical release.
Elizabeth Olsen recently talked to InStyle magazine, making her stance on movies very clear. In the interview, she emphasizes that she won’t play in studio films that skip the theatrical experience.
Her views come at a time when streaming platforms continue to dominate post-pandemic content distribution.
A Commitment To The Theater Experience
Olsen, best known as indie film darling as well as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is committed to the real, connecting experience when it comes to watching a movie. Her love for movies goes beyond performance. It's more about the shared experience.
“I think it's important for people to gather as a community, to see other humans, be together in a space.”
She even likened the power of theaters to live sports, something she says brings people together around a shared excitement. Her comments reflect a genuine concern about the long-term effects of pandemic-driven isolation: "We don’t even audition in person anymore," she noted.
While she’s open to acting in independently made films that end up being sold to streamers, her line is drawn when the intent from the start is a streaming-only release.
"If a movie is made independently and only sells to a streamer, then fine. But I don’t want to make something where streaming is the end-all."
Olsen believes films are meant to be experienced in theaters, where storytelling can have its greatest emotional and social impact.
Olsen’s Upcoming Movie "Eternity"
Her next project, Eternity, is a fantasy-infused romantic comedy, set to hit theaters this Thanksgiving.
The movie, which she also executive produced, co-stars Miles Teller. Set in a whimsical afterlife where the recently deceased have one week to decide who they want to spend eternity with, Olsen plays Joan, a woman caught between her first love and the partner she built a life with.
As the industry evolves, Olsen's stance serves as a powerful reminder of what many feel is being lost in the streaming era: the magic of the theaters.
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