By Spencer Coile
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Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
I work part-time at my local movie theater. Yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds. Working there has been pretty eye-opening, leading me to witness the best and worst of humanity (he said dramatically). Lately, though, as I am cleaning the theaters, I've become privy to an ever increasing trend: the post-credit scene. Between Kong: Skull Island, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (one of them features Elizabeth Debicki's Ayesha, pictured above) to even a fifteen-second long trailer to the third installment of the latest entry into the Grey world after Fifty Shades Darker, audiences have come to expect something once the credits begin to roll...
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was noted for its high energy and humor throughout, but what most people discussed when leaving their packed theater were the five (yes, five) post-credit sequences. They range from silly, to foreshadowing, to completely unnecessary. Yet people stayed until the very end, just to watch another Stan Lee cameo. Some fans instantly began giggling, others sighed loudly before getting up to leave.
More than the film people just watched, it's likely the scene that comes after the credits that people will refer to most. In some ways, this makes audiences excited for the inevitable next film in any series, but at times, I fear it detracts from the film they just watched. If all we can discuss when exiting the theater is what is to come next, what does that say about the film we just watched?
Of course, this often depends on the genre and studio. Today the expectation is that any movie a part of the Marvel or D.C. universe will offer its viewers something after the film is over. That is what makes the omission of a scene after Logan and Wonder Woman all the more surprising (and for some, a relief: the story had already been told!). Not only do flocks of audience members stay through the entire credit sequence, but they sometimes shout at the screen when there is nothing left afterwards. It is simultaneously amusing and baffling.
Post-credit sequences -- Do they help or hurt your overall moviegoing experience?