3 Reasons You Should Take Your Kids to See Harry Potter in Theaters (Even If They've Seen It!)

Updated on 8/24/2018 at 4:50 PM

It's been 21 years since J.K. Rowling released the first book in the Harry Potter series, and for 21 years, the world has been truly obsessed with her fantastical world and its characters. To honor the 20th anniversary of the first novel hitting the US back in September of 1998, Cinemark is waving its wand and creating beautiful magic for us: all eight Harry Potter films, back in select theaters from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, $5 per movie.

Sure, the movies play and stream on HBO now, following the move from Freeform on Jan. 1 of this year, but there are several reasons you need to take your kids — especially ones who were too young to watch or born after the last film's release in 2011 — to see all eight movies in theaters. Read on to find out why this investment is totally worth it, whether you see the first couple or all eight as a family.

Even if they've seen the movies before, there's nothing like the theater experience.

I'll never forget seeing The Sorcerer's Stone in theaters with my entire sixth-grade class back in 2001 (best field trip EVER). I was the same age as the actors at the time, and it felt like I was going to Hogwarts with Harry. Seeing the movie in a dark theater cut off from the rest of the world really makes the magic come to life in a special way (especially if they haven't seen any of the films yet), and I wish I had an 11-year-old to share this upcoming experience with. Plus, the movies really are made for the big screen — TVs just don't do the magic justice!

You can get "festival passes" for the event, which include special goodies.

For $25, Cinemark is offering moviegoers a "festival pass," which includes a collectible key chain, a special cup that can be refilled for $3.50 through the end of 2018, and a commemorative festival badge. Your kids can display their badges in their rooms proudly, the same way I display my (now-laminated) bookmark from when I picked up my copy of The Goblet of Fire on July 8, 2000.

Because there aren't any more stories about Harry coming out, this gives your kids a chance to experience a "new release."

I spent the better half of my childhood waiting in lines at my local Borders bookstore (RIP) to get my hands on the newest story about the Wizarding World and from ages 11 to 21 catching up with Harry on the big screen. Since there aren't going to be any new stories about Harry coming out — there are, of course, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films, but it's not *quite* the same thing — this fun event gives your kids a chance to feel like they are experiencing a new release, whether they've seen the films or not.

Mark my words, your kids will remember this experience for years to come, just like we remember our childhood movie theater trips spent with Harry, Hermione, and Ron.