The Barbenheimer craze is reviving local cinemas once hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Chester County, writes Kim Hudson for CBS News Philadelphia.

The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville is a beloved venue that served as a backdrop for the pivotal scene in the 1958 film The Blob.

Since 1903, the theater has survived a pandemic before, in 1918 when the flu swept the world. Virtual screenings have helped the Phoenixville cinema stay afloat. With the debut of Barbie and Oppenheimer, film buffs and families are flocking to the screens to see these dynamic shows.  

The theater has joined many multiplexes across the nation in hosting Barbie parties. Staff wore hot pink and served specialty drinks.  

The return of Blobfest, which is a weekend full of festivities surrounding the thriller classic, drew crowds of people, even those from other countries.  

“I would say things started to feel more back-to-normal the last couple of months,” said Programming Director Bob Trate. 

Read more about how the Barbenheimer craze is sweeping local theaters on CBS News Philadelphia.  

Blobfest at the Colonial Theatre.