Elizabeth Olsen Divides Fans After Revealing She'll Only Star In Movies With A Theatrical Release

In 2025, we've been overrun with streaming service options, and we've mostly been run out of our third space options.

This has led to many of us to feeling lonelier and less inspired while staying at home, inevitably spending more money on food delivery and streaming entertainment since there's hardly anywhere else for us to go.

For Marvel and WandaVision star Elizabeth Olsen, this is a key reason why the simple act of going to the movies and enjoying the overall movie theater experience are so important.

While in conversation with InStyle magazine, Olsen opened up and shared that, in an effort to encourage these third spaces, she no longer wants to perform in Hollywood movies that will not have a theatrical release.

For independent films, she's more open to the idea of participating in a film that gets sold to a streaming service, like one of her latest films, His Three Daughters, which was backed by Netflix. But she would still prefer for these independent films to appear in theaters, and not including a theatrical release would be a deal breaker for her future Hollywood sign-offs.

During the interview, Olsen explained her decision:

"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."

"I think it's important for people to gather as a community, to see other humans, and be together in a space."

"That's why I like sports. I think it's really powerful for people to come together for something that they're excited about."

"We don't even audition in person anymore."

Some Twitter (X) users found Olsen's take on community to be peak cinema.

Redditors on the "entertainment" subReddit agreed and pointed out the community feeling they'd experienced when sharing space with fellow movie lovers.

"Hearing other people’s reactions along with your own is (sometimes) a fun part of the experience. I get where she’s going with it!" - Unlucky-Mulberry-999

"A key part of the community for me is what it brings to the movie itself, experiences that attach themselves to the film, and make YOUR film-watching experience unlike anyone else's."

"People gasping at 'Titanic,' people crying at 'Passion of the Christ,' people enthralled and grabbing their seats in 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,' a woman fanning herself and yelling out, 'Oh lawd!' when Taylor Lautner ripped his shirt off in 'Breaking Dawn,' making the entire audience crack up (followed by everyone practically RIOTING during the 'Carlisle scene')."

"There's something about being around all of these people, who you've never met and may never speak to, barely make eye contact with, that adds something meaningful to the mutual goal you have to see this film, and what your experiences will culminate into, and what memories that will create for you and be tied to that movie forever. It's unbeatable, and it's unreplicable." -TheBookishAndTheBard

"It depends on the movie you're seeing. It's definitely a sense of community when a theater has a 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' showing, because everyone's doing the time warp again. That's fun!"

"And there's definitely something to be said for when you're in a packed theater for a comedy, and everyone is laughing at the funny stuff together."

"And then you get into the whole long-awaited movies thing, like when 'Star Wars: Phantom Menace' and the rest came out. People dressed up as Darth Maul were waiting in line for midnight showings. I wasn't there, but my at the time best friend did our other friend's make up for that, and his pic was in the paper. That gives you a sense of community, too."

"So I get where Olsen is coming from."

"It was a h**l of a thing to watch the 'Battle of Helm's Deep' on the big screen with a packed theater, same for things like 'Jurassic Park' and 'Independence Day.' I have no idea who was in the theaters with me, aside from who I went with for each movie, of course. But I do remember audience reactions to the T-Rex and the White House being blown up. There's nothing quite like it." - _dead_and_broken_

"I used to consider the cinema to be my church growing up. The silent shared experience felt so intense."

"Also, I had a lot of great dates, or just a fun night with a friend group. You have to dress up somewhat and go to the cinema. Of course, the viewing experience with an overwhelming picture and sound makes the watch unique."

"To me, it feels like being part of a social gathering of sorts, sharing the same anticipation. Only that the only rule is to be quiet."

"You don’t get that from sitting on the couch mindlessly swiping between titles, not even with a group of friends. I don’t go as often now, sadly (so expensive)." - faithinhumanity_null

"This summer, I saw 'Freakier Friday' and 'The Naked Gun' on opening weekends, and those theaters were packed."

"Normally, I like to wait a week or so when I know the theater will likely be less crowded. However, I'd been ecstatic since they announced a 'Freaky Friday' sequel was in talks, finding out it was actually happening, and when production started, etc., etc., and I was PSYCHED for its release."

"'The Naked Gun' is not my normal movie, but I'm heavily invested in Akiva's professional successes. Opening weekend numbers are really, really important, so I went to support."

"They made me realize how much I liked (and missed) going to the theater with a crowd! I had the best time! It was so interesting to see what jokes we all laughed at, what I laughed at that no one else did, and vice versa. Highly recommend!"

"Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk, lol." - Cass_Cat952

Movie theaters are more expensive than ever before, and there's an issue with some people talking or singing out of turn, using their phones, and bringing outside food in.

But these people are outweighed by the magical experience a movie theater brings to a film, not just in its visual and sound systems, but in the community that is created within the audience.

It's charming that Elizabeth Olsen wants to fight for this third space, and she's taking a major step to secure that third space by only accepting certain types of roles.