Key Takeaways
- Definition: A “cinematic event” refers to a high-profile blockbuster that generates significant buzz upon release.
- 2000s Highlights: This decade featured some of the most notable event films in history.
- Audience Engagement: Many sequels and adaptations captivated audiences, ensuring they flocked to theaters.
- Ranking: The article ranks noteworthy event films based on the hype surrounding their releases.
How can one define a “cinematic event?” It’s a somewhat subjective, largely relative label; but, in broad terms, an event film is a blockbuster so high-profile that it generates unusual amounts of mainstream buzz upon release, making watching it for the first time in theaters a true “event.” There have been plenty of these throughout the history of blockbusters, but the 2000s in particular saw some of the highest-profile event films in history.
The decade’s biggest cinematic events were mostly sequels and adaptations of popular IPs, but they all managed to feel fresh and exciting enough to bring audiences to watch them on the big screen in droves. From huge legacy sequels to first installments in what would become major franchises, these noteworthy event films are ranked in order of how much hype was generated around their release.
10
‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions’ (2003)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The Wachowskis took the world by storm in 1999 with <em>The Matrix</em>, one of the most groundbreaking action sci-fi films that the world had ever seen. By the end of that same year, it was public knowledge that the directors would be shooting a couple of sequels back to back: The Matrix Reloaded and <em>The Matrix Revolutions</em>. The public’s hype couldn’t possibly have been higher.
In a rather unprecedented release strategy, Reloaded and Revolutions were released just months from one another. Though praise for them wasn’t as high as the one the original received, all Matrix films are actually really good. These two sequels are full of iconic moments and thrilling set pieces, and the level of anticipation that fans felt in the months building up to their nearly simultaneous release was huge.
9
‘Shrek 2’ (2004)
Shrek became the winner of the first-ever Best Animated Feature Academy Award, and to this day, it’s still remembered as one of the most revolutionary animated films ever made. As such, the bar was high for its sequel. Somehow, Shrek 2 managed to surpass its predecessor in virtually every way imaginable, and today, it remains the best animated sequel of the 21st century.
The expectation was that the movie would be just as much of a cultural tentpole as its predecessor, and that expectation was right. Shrek 2 became the second-highest-grossing animated movie of the 2000s, and for a while, it was the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time. It received high praise for its humor and voice performances, and it introduced fan-favorite characters like Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders). Audiences loved it then, and over two decades later, they still do.
8
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)
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