After almost three years, the movie industry might be returning to normal this autumn with several big releases. And the movie awards shows will go back to their usual place on the calendar. When the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020, movie theaters were one of the first places affected. They either closed or put attendance restrictions in place. As a result, a number of blockbuster films were postponed. Two of those movies were: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Avatar: The Way of Water. Organizers of film festivals and award shows like the Academy Awards also hope things can return to normal. This weekend, American moviegoers are being invited back to theaters with a special event on September 3. It is called National Cinema Day. People can get movie tickets for $3. Companies that own theaters hope the promotion can get people to see the movies in theaters again. They want them to come back because lots of movies are planned for the rest of 2022. This month, Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery is opening at the Toronto Film Festival. The first Knives Out movie used the same theater for its first showing during the festival in 2019. Video streaming company Netflix purchased the rights to Glass Onion, and to a future project in the series. Rian Johnson is the director. He said the opening of the first movie “seems like yesterday.” But in the years since, the COVID-19 pandemic nearly killed the movie theater business. The success this summer of the follow-up to the 1980s hit Top Gun suggests that people might be ready to return. Top Gun: Maverick sold $1.36 billion in tickets worldwide and is still making money. The autumn movie season is traditionally when some of the movie studios release films they hope will win awards.