It was downright concerning that every studio in town got so scared of “The Batman” that they gave the movie almost an entire month mostly free and clear. Movie theaters simply cannot exist with superheroes and horror movies alone. Other movies must be released to help draw in different moviegoers on a weekly basis. Yes, Hollywood is far more concerned with bolstering streaming services right now but the box office is still a monumentally important pillar of the industry that cannot be abandoned. Counterprogramming is needed and needed badly.

Luckily, these non-American movies have shown up to save the day, taking in more than $44 million over the last few weeks — more than half of the total $82 million that was raked in overall at the box office this past weekend. That is a significant chunk of change that has helped drive traffic to theaters across the country. And the best part is, these movies are drawing huge crowds overseas and aren’t necessarily depending on American audiences. This is the icing on the cake for these movies, so there is less pressure from a business standpoint for them to deliver massive numbers. Yet, the crowds they do bring help prop up the exhibition side of the industry while Hollywood studios play it perhaps a little too safe in the post-pandemic era. We’re looking at you, 20th Century Studios.

The fact is, if anime and overseas blockbusters can continue to quietly make their way to theaters and draw crowds, it will be nothing but excellent news for theaters that are trying to stay afloat. And, optimistically, it will encourage studios to read the tea leaves and understand that audiences may be hungry enough for a wider variety of films and not the same studio superhero fare. More of this, please.