Movies are magical, especially when you're laying horizontal in a reclining seat, drowning in popcorn, enjoying a film on the silver screen. While a rowdy audience is normally a definite no in a movie theater, it is pretty magical when something so pivotal happens in the story that everyone erupts into simultaneous applause. Goosebumps!
Reddit threads like this one say that clapping and cheering in a movie theater is an American thing. (Perhaps we, as a nation, are born with the innate need to cause a scene?)
But these moments are unforgettable, especially when you're watching a movie for the first time with a bunch of strangers who all react in tandem. In my experience, it happens with sagas where characters are already well-known and conflict has long been brewing — like *that* scene in Avengers: Endgame when it appears hope is lost, but then every superhero in the Marvel-verse arrives.
Whew! So many superheroes assembling caused mass audience applause. Here's the scene if you need to relive it:
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For me, it also happened during this pinnacle moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, when Harry finally beats Voldemort. That one was a long time coming!
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But it's not just the defeat of a foe — the mere arrival of fan-favorite characters will also do the trick! Like when the OG cast of Star Wars returned for the first time during The Force Awakens, or when every single Spider-Man (Spider-Men?) arrived on-screen to work together in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Whether it was a powerful moment, a certain character, or a round of applause at the end credits, I want to know your experience with this phenomenon! Share the moment this happened for you in the comments below, or via this Google form if you prefer to remain anonymous. Your story could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post!
