For those who’ve caught a movie within the theater just lately, you could have seen the gang leaned, effectively, decidedly youthful.
Gen Z and millennials are driving a renaissance of types at film theaters, taking in additional films annually and spending extra money per outing than older generations, in response to the outcomes of an annual moviegoing trends and insights study launched this month by Fandango.
However Gen Z was a standout in a pair key methods: 87% of individuals born after 1997 mentioned that they had watched a minimum of one film within the theater prior to now yr, the very best share of any era, and so they have been additionally the most probably to buy tickets on-line or pre-order snacks, in response to the survey of greater than 7,000 moviegoers.
What makes going to the flicks for Zoomers completely different is that it’s “a type of social gathering,” in response to the Fandango report, with this era preferring to move to the theaters with mates. And, in a throwback of types, 92% of Gen Zers reported that they paired a film outing with going out to eat.
Against this, amongst Child Boomers, who most likely loved many dinner-and-a-movie dates of their youthful years, solely 58% mentioned that they had seen a minimum of one film prior to now yr.
WHAT’S BRINGING GEN Z BACK TO THEATERS
Whereas the sorts of films that studios are churning out can also be seemingly a driving issue for attendance, film theaters could also be attracting youthful generations once more amid an absence of curiosity in boozing and a gentle erosion of so-called third areas, Benedict and Hannah Townsend, hosts of the movie and TV podcast Speak of the Townsends, advised The Guardian. “Because the web turns into ever extra pervasive, and in some ways ever extra annoying, Gen Z are on the lookout for experiences past the black mirror.”
Certainly, the survey exhibits how strongly Gen Z worth “the shared, communal side of the expertise” of going to the flicks, Jerramy Hainline, government VP at Fandango, advised Variety. “Theaters proceed to play an vital position as a social vacation spot for youthful audiences.”
Fandango didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Quick Firm.
However Gen Z does have a little bit of catching as much as do, as millennials barely edged them out for the typical variety of films they noticed in theaters in 2025—at 7.2 versus 7.0. Total, moviegoers throughout all generations reported seeing a mean of 5.3 films in theaters in 2026.
HOLLYWOOD’S HIGHS AND LOWS
Whereas the resurgence in moviegoing amongst youthful generations is probably going welcomed information in Hollywood, it’s been a little bit of a blended bag there recently: In April alone, two main studios and a high-profile manufacturing firm have introduced layoffs totaling more than 1,000 jobs combined. And but, constructing off the success of reigning leaders—The Tremendous Mario Galaxy Film, Pegasus 3, and Mission Hail Mary—and heading into the busy summer season season, analysts are projecting that 2026 would be the highest-grossing yr for world field workplace gross sales since 2019, in response to Deadline.
And the Fandango research discovered that 76% of moviegoers plan to hit the theaters this summer, with Toy Story 5 and Spider-Man: Model New Day cited as the 2 most-anticipated movies amongst moviegoers.
Nonetheless, studios ought to take note of what youthful generations are doing because the moviegoing panorama continues to evolve and as youthful generations redefine what an outing to the film means by prioritizing premium experiences, social engagement and new types of content material, as Hainline advised Selection. “Assembly them the place they’re isn’t optionally available—it’s important to the way forward for theatrical moviegoing.”
