Movie theater trade organization Cinema United released its annual “Strength of Theatrical Exhibition” report on Wednesday, revealing that Gen Z is defying assumptions that it is not interested in going to the movies with a 25% increase in attendance frequency year-over-year.
In the new report, which can be read on Cinema United’s website, 77% of moviegoers age 12-74 went to theaters at least once. And among Gen Z moviegoers, 41% went to theaters at least six times, up from 31% in 2024. On average, Gen Z audiences had an attendance rate of 6.1 times per year, up from 4.9 a year before.
Chalk that increase up to films that younger moviegoers want to see, as films like Warner Bros./Legendary’s “A Minecraft Movie,” Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” and Universal/Blumhouse’s “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” were among the titles carried at the box office primarily by the under-30 crowd.
“Weekend box office is important, but a more accurate measure is looking at the industry on an annual basis and considering myriad other factors in the marketplace to get a more complete picture of the strength of the industry,” said Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of Cinema United. “2025 is a perfect example of a year where an inconsistent box office threatens to overshadow other variables that point to a bright future for movies on the big screen.”
These numbers lend support to those in Hollywood skeptical of the belief that Gen Z has completely left movie theaters behind in favor of digital platforms like TikTok and Twitch. Among them is NBCUniversal Chairman Donna Langley, who at last year’s UCLA Entertainment Symposium said that she see that age cohort as “platform-agnostic.”
“It’s not like the ’90s where teens go to the mall and just see whatever movie is in theaters. It is appointment viewing. But you can’t pinpoint what genre they’re interested in,” she said. “They will show up for ‘Oppenheimer’ or ‘Barbie,’ or another film that we did last year, ‘M3GAN.’ […] But there has to be a social energy. There has to be something they can interact with and talk to others about,”
The report also comes as Cinema United and the movie theater industry at large is bracing for a potentially seismic impact to their business with Netflix’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. The streamer’s co-CEO has long criticized theaters, calling them “outdated” and, upon announcement of Warner’s selection of Netflix as the winning buyer, promised to bring the sort of shorter release windows that theaters have long pushed back against.
“The proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix poses an unprecedented threat to the global exhibition business. The negative impact of this acquisition will impact theatres from the biggest circuits to one-screen independents in small towns in the United States and around the world,” O’Leary said in a statement shortly after Netflix’s bid was selected.
“Cinema United stands ready to support industry changes that lead to increased movie production and give consumers more opportunities to enjoy a day at the local theatre. But Netflix’s stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition. In fact, it is the opposite. Regulators must look closely at the specifics of this proposed transaction and understand the negative impact it will have on consumers, exhibition and the entertainment industry,” he continued.
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