There comes a time where owners of movie theaters hope to see each seat filled by people wanting to watch a movie they’ve been waiting to see. With a couple of blockbusters, the movie theater industry was hoping to repeat the success of last year.

However, 2017 has sunk that idea. With video on demand (VOD) from services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, watching a movie is a little bit easier and affordable for filmgoers. Not to mention the accessibility of the movies, too. Downloaded movies can be watched anywhere–from 35,000 feet in the air to your best friend’s bathroom.

Networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS are taking cues from Hollywood and testing Nerd-and-Geek Nation. Comic book fans are starting to see DC and Marvel shows based off of popular or up-and-coming comics. This wave also includes the release of some throwback ‘90s cartoons.

Earlier this summer, during Comic-Con, the ‘90s kids had a brief flashback when they showed a trailer to the new “Rocco’s Modern Life” and “Hey Arnold” shows. Trust me, I was the only ‘90s kid who bust out in my Carlton dance of joy seeing that trailer. Also, the return of David Lynch’s surreal ‘90s classic “Twin Peaks: The Return” (thank you Showtime) is a sign that indie films are starting to become the new normal. They are starting to get recognition as well, without the help of cinema or a GoFundMe fundraising page.

While I could go on and on about how TV and streaming services are in full competition and how they grab the attention of the viewers, you could easily see why the movie business is being left behind in the dust.

“Wonder Woman” and “Spiderman: Homecoming” took over the box office this year with “Wonder Woman” breaking records as the first film directed by a woman to earn $400 million in America and a cool $800 million international. Sure, that’s pretty good for a DC comic movie compared to others such as “Suicide Squad” and “Batman versus Superman” that were ripped to shreds by critics and fans. It’s a good thing they made back a very good amount of money. “Wonder Woman” was praised, worshipped, and almost nearly put on a pedestal as the best comic book movie ever.

But not to be out done by DC, Marvel picked up the speed and released two of their blockbuster films as well: “Spiderman: Homecoming” and “Guardian of the Galaxy, Vol 2.”

“Spiderman: Homecoming” made back $745 million, which is still a good amount for Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it was “Guardian of the Galaxy, Vol 2” that shot out of the gates. The film made back $862.60 million internationally.

Although the summer was filled with sequels and remakes back-to-back, the only thing consumers saw was dollar signs. The price of movie tickets cost more than a Broadway or concert ticket and let’s not mention buying something to eat while there. These issues are making viewers take a U-turn out of the theater

AMC Theaters are starting to feel the crushing power of change regarding prices and low attendance. This situation has gotten to the point where the shares of AMC went down 17-30 percent.

Then you have the movie pass slash e-ticket feud this year. That exposed the true colors of how bad the movie theater industry has gotten. From banning the app from theaters to threatening to sue the company, this decline of the theater business is relevant.

The Blockbuster train wreck continues with the poorly made movies that were on full display this summer. That was another blow to the movie industry and the cinema industry. From “Baywatch,” which I’m shocked that was even made, to “The Mummy” (need I say more), the summer was just not doing very well, for story lines. For those who forgot about that little hacking leak that Sony suffered last year, it showed the world the list of films that spelled D-O-O-M from the beginning.

It’s clear that the summer film season is going out with a whimper when a sequel to a film that was a spin off to another film that was also a sequel did a lot better than other films this summer.

That was a mouthful.

“Annabella: Creation” was number one in the box office, raking in $160 million, to signal the very slow and dismal ending to a summer that was filled with promise. However, with what’s in store for 2018, a couple of better films promise better days.

“Deadpool 2” is rumored to be in the works; Marvel’s “Black Panthers” and DC’s “Justice League” are both well underway. But if the rise of streaming sites are as bright and adventurous as the way it’s heading and network TV is keeping people home instead of coughing over too much money to see a film, then chances are that next year’s summer might be a sequel to this summer. To the movie industry, that might not be a very good way to end.