Ticket to Ride

The Ticket to Riders welcome special guest Scott "Movie" Mantz for a an exciting discussion across a wide range of cinephile topics.  Hear about the making and release of the 1999 horror classic 'The Blair Witch Project', which Mike was involved in distributing during his time at Artisan Films and Scott watched by himself at home one night, from a VCR tape that was handed to him without any furthe...

Sparks fly as the TTR team lights the fuse on a special Independence Day edition of the podcast. Thaddeus, Mike & Paul discuss the challenge that the holiday presents in terms of making apples-to-apples historical box office comparisons, speculate on the JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH potential weekend & 5-day performance, and walk down memory lane discussing the monumental impact that the first J...

This week, the Ticket to Ride trio time-travels through blockbuster history and lands in Barcelona—literally. Paul and Thaddeus kick off the episode celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jaws and reflect on how it rewrote the rules of summer movie releases forever. Mike drops in straight from CineEurope , where he gives us the inside scoop on his time there. All this, AND more in this episode, which...

In this episode, the Ticket to Ride trio breaks down the Memorial Weekend battlefield and what it means for the summer ahead. With high-stakes titles like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Lilo & Stitch, Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth on the horizon, the crew debates how theaters—and audiences—are navigating the crowd. Inside the episode: – Memorial Day Weekend: a crucial litmus...

In this episode, the Ticket to Ride goodfellas discuss April's surge in moviegoing, Mike's passion for hockey, how the success of 'Sinners' bodes well for Ben Affleck's upcoming 'Accountant 2' and the sunny outlook for the upcoming summer, which kicks off with a packed release schedule in May. Inside the episode: – How 'A Minecraft Movie' turned into an unexpect...

In Part 2 of our Ticket To Ride Podcast, hosts Paul Dergarabedian (Comscore), Mike Polydoros (Paper Airplane), and Thaddeus Bouchard (ScreenDollars) uncover last week's spectacle that was CinemaCon 2025 —from the significant industry issues like theatrical windows, dynamic pricing, and evolving movie marketing to unforgettable moments like Universal’s live orchestra, Tom Cruise’s surprise appe...

In Part 1 of our CinemaCon 2025 recap episode, our electrifying hosts Paul Dergarabedian (Comscore), Mike Polydoros (Paper Airplane), and Thaddeus Bouchard (Screendollars) break down the latest — from everything that happened in Las Vegas, Minecraft’s historic $162M opening, and the most exciting new movie announcements from Sony, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Amazon MGM, Disney, Paramount, Universal,...

What keeps your local cinema thriving? If that thought has ever crossed your mind, then join your unabashed hosts Paul Dergarabedian, Mike Polydoros, and Thaddeus Bouchard for a very special episode of the "Ticket To Ride" Podcast, recorded LIVE at CinemaCon 2025, in Las Vegas, where they explore why independent theaters remain the lifeblood of the movie-going experience. Joining them on...

When it comes to the box office, ups and downs go with the territory as we’ve watched this year's early advantage over last year take a tumble in the past few weeks.  Your intrepid hosts Paul, Mike & Thaddeus say "Buckle Up, Keep Calm and Carry On," with an optimistic attitude based on the lineup of new movies ahead.  Inevitably, the current dip in ticket sales will correct itsel...

Paul, Mike & Thaddeus recap results from Superbowl weekend and look ahead to the promise of a very romantic weekend ahead, with “Captain Paddington” on the schedule for Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend and the possibility to gross $100M+ for only the 2nd time in '25.  Both “Silence of The Lambs” and “Wayne’s World” get a shout out for having the heart to open at the multiplex on Februar...

In this episode, Paul, Mike & Thaddeus wax poetic about one of the most anticipated moviegoing weekends as a “Captain Paddington” gets ready to fuel a very romantic Valentine’s weekend. A solid February will lead into the Academy Awards telecast in early March that will keep the spotlight focused on the movie theatre experience and if that wasn't enough, your intrepid hosts hop in the time...

Paul, Mike and Thaddeus promise a steady flow of TTR episodes in the new year while discussing the 24 point gain YoY the industry realized since June to land at an impressive $8.74B. A positive outlook for ‘25 for theatres is on tap while recognizing some of the challenges in the cards. Even “Hot Frosty” gets a mention! #TicketToRidePodcast #Comscore #boxoffice

Paul, Mike and Thaddeus wind up the year and discuss the wild ride that was 2024 at the domestic box office. They also discuss the importance of animation for the year as well as taking a quick look at 2025 and beyond. #TicketToRidePodcast #Comscore #boxoffice

No turkeys for Thanksgiving this year, with THREE blockbusters generating at least $30M in ticket sales, with Moana 2 selling out and Wicked and Gladiator II as strong holdovers in their second weekend.  The total box office for all movies was the highest ever for a Thanksgiving weekend, and the second highest of 2024. By the end of the weekend, some exhibitors had sold out of popular concessions,...

This week Paul and Mike are back at ShowEast for the third year and recap the Box Office Year to date and then sit down to chat with Industry Icon this year’s ShowEast Legend Award recipient Richie Fay. They are then joined by director Sean McNamara and Producer David Brookwell who discuss their box office hit Reagan along with their newest project BAU: ARTIST AT WAR. #TicketToRidePodcast #PaulDer...

A box office election makes for an interesting cinematic history lesson - Mike, Paul & Thaddeus campaign for the theatrical experience as they hit the trail after a brief hiatus and a return ticket to ride for the industry. #boxoffice #tickettoridepodcast #comscore #paperairplane #screendollars