Gen Z is the generation most likely to want to go to the movies. (Photo Illustration: Yahoo News, photos: Getty Images)When young people turn out at the movie theater in droves, they make headlines for flinging popcorn and screaming. Accused of being antisocial homebodies, some theaters have tried to lure them off their couches and into their seats by letting them keep their tiny beacons of light and distraction out during phone-friendly screenings. Some say they're willing to turn their hallowed halls into amusement parks with bowling lanes and roller-coaster-esque 4DX screenings, all to boost their offerings and keep the hallowed tradition of theatergoing alive in the digital age.
But as ticket prices rise and at-home streaming options proliferate, what if Gen Z is the movie theater industry's greatest hope?According to a Yahoo News/YouGov Survey conducted May 22-27, 2025, Americans surveyed say they prefer to wait to see a new movie when it's available on streaming (61%) rather than seeing it in theaters (23%). But young adults under 30 are the age group most likely to head to the cinema, according to the poll. About half (49%) have seen a movie in a theater in the past six months, and 60% in the past year. And when a new movie comes out, respondents under 30 were the most likely to say they'd see it in theaters (31%) vs. waiting for it to become available on streaming (53%), compared to adults 30 and older.
Poll respondents said how likely they were to watch a movie in theaters as opposed to streaming. (Photo Illustration: Yahoo News, photos: Getty Images)So what's enticing them to put their phones down, travel to the theater and give the big screen their attention for a few hours? 54% of Gen Z-ers surveyed said they want "an experience I can't get at home." More than half of poll respondents under 30 said an interesting plot (56%) and lower ticket cost (55%) could persuade them to get their butts in seats too.'The most coveted demographic'Though assumptions about Gen Z's affinity for phones and hatred of spending money might lead some people to believe that they might not love theatergoing, it's actually an organic part of the young adult experience. George Huang, a filmmaker and professor at UCLA, tells Yahoo it makes total sense that younger generations are more likely to go to the theater than their millennial, Gen X and boomer counterparts. They typically spend less time fretting about work, kids and taxes, Huang says. And Hollywood knows this.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"The most coveted demographic has always been young adults ... economically, they have the most spare time," he explains. "And movies, in comparison to sporting events or live concerts, are still the cheapest ticket around."Young audiences are also "trendsetters and cultural arbiters of cool ... and let's face it, who doesn't want to be cool!" Huang adds.'A decline in Hollywood films'Studios have long had an eye out for young adults. Susan Doll, a film historian who teaches at Ringling College of Art and Design, tells Yahoo that the industry has prioritized reaching young moviegoers since the 1980s. In the years leading up to that decade, the artistic ambitions of legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola led "to excesses in budgets and shooting schedules," which corporate conglomerates that bought film studios weren't particularly fond of. As a result, new executives focused on budget control and commercial franchises to boost profits. They noted the financial success of 1975's Jaws and 1977's Star Wars, and a "fascination and then dependence on blockbuster movies" began.
Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw in Jaws. (Courtesy Everett Collection)Executives also took note of the fact that young viewers would go to the theater to see movies like 1978's Superman and Halloween multiple times, creating a fan base that would carry over to sequels and series.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"These beloved films tended to be viscerally sensational, relying heavily on action, fast pacing, and special effects. They were also uncomplicated, and without irony or moral ambiguity," Doll says. The young demographic then became the primary demographic.
In Doll's opinion, the "dominance of formula, the adherence to genres driven by expensive special effects, the embracing of the clichéd heroes played by costly stars and the acceptance of costly marketing strategies ... please a young demographic, [but] the end result is a decline in [the quality of] Hollywood films," she says.'This generation of moviegoers ... is really smart'Still, the industry needs money to survive, and box office numbers don't lie: Audiences are flocking to see movies made for the youngest theatergoers. Five of the 10 biggest films at the domestic box office in 2024 - Inside Out 2, Wicked, Moana 2, Despicable Me 4 and Kung Fu Panda 4 - were rated G or PG, suggesting they were targeting young audiences that include children