Aldi’s Inflatable Screen Is Back in Stock — And It’s a Must-Have for Backyard Movie Nights

Some of my sweetest birthday memories growing up involved a drive-in theater. Stepping into the cool summer night air, tuning the radio, and crowding into a car along with a group of people doing the same thing just feels so nostalgic. These days, though, I don’t have the luxury of a car or the large expanses of lawn in the suburbs. But still, an outdoor movie screening is one of my favorite summer bucket list items to cross off over and over.

If you can’t find the movie you’re looking for, though, here’s an idea: Host your own outdoor movie night. It may sound ambitious, but Aldi is currently selling the Banzai Inflatable Projector Screen, a massive movie screen for just under $70. They sold them in the fall, when they quickly went viral, and now they’re back just in time for peak movie-under-the-stars season. 

Investing in your own projector screen is a smart move for several reasons. For one, no more braving the crowds of public showings, if you don’t want to! Does that Jaws event with 500 people sound a little overwhelming? Invite some friends over and host your own. You can even make it a quadruple header and watch all of the sequels in succession, voting on the best and worst iteration. 

Heck, you could even charge each of your 20 friends a $5 entrance fee (a fraction of what you’d pay to see a movie in theaters, anyway!) and you’ll even have some money leftover to buy movie snacks. 

This projector screen is also a great find because, though it measures 9 feet, 10 inches wide by 8 feet, 4 inches tall at its full inflation, it’s compact to store — it fits into a small carrying bag when you let the air out. When you’ve popped the popcorn and are ready for a backyard (or rooftop, or patio) movie night, it automatically (via “built-in blowers”) inflates in under a minute, per the Aldi site, and it comes with tethers and stakes to hold it down. 

If you can’t make it to an Aldi, fear not. This inflatable screen from Amazon is a few feet larger and costs just $10 more. “We love this movie screen!! Folds up nice and compact for easy storage and is great for outdoor movie nights especially while camping,” reads one review. 

Whether you’re cuddling up with your partner for a backyard date night, starting an outdoor movie club with friends, or lounging pool floaties while putting on your own Jaws screening, this inflatable screen is sure to be the source of some of your sweetest summer memories.