While moviegoing appeals to less than half of those born from 1965 to 2012, it is gaining traction among those born in 2013 and after, according to a report from industry tracker National Research Group. It estimated 59% of children in that age group preferred to see a film on the big screen.

Instead of focusing on the who, we should focus on the why.

🚨🚨🚨BREAKING: People who don’t pay for themselves don’t care as much about ridiculous ticket prices.🚨🚨🚨

Honestly, unless the theater industry does something massively different, they are going to become a vestige of an older time. I’m not even old but I remember a time when movie theaters were affordable and fun to go to.

Now, it’s just people talking, on their phones, kids running around the theater, people with no shoes on with their feet up, people eating as loud as they can, and all of that is on top of unaffordable prices.

I’d much rather sit on my couch, with my 65” tv and surround sound. I have my own snacks, I can watch what I want, and more importantly I didn’t pay $30-$40 just to have a bad day out.

I know some of this is definitely specific to the theaters near me, but I’m in a nice area, with a big theater that has an IMAX theater in it. When it was built, it was well staffed and very nice. Now it seems like it’s falling apart, and you only ever see maybe two people working there. Honestly, if it wasn’t in the mall, I think it would have closed by now.

I just wanna go home

I suspect a lot of this has to do with us of the older generations being introduced to the internet and mobile convenience etc, which created a bit of hesitancy to leave home when we now have this super convenient way to consume media. For a generation that’s only ever known that convenience, and who’s social skills seem to be sort of stunted, I can imagine the appeal of something like a movie theater as an escape from all that.

People born between 1965-2012 is a mighty broad category. Smart to group the 14-60 year olds, I’m sure there’s no diversity within that demographic

Everyone here is saying “it’s because kids don’t have to pay”, but I think it’s more about motivation.

A big children’s movie comes out every three months or so, and my kids (4 and 6) really like the big screens, loud speakers, comfy chairs, etc. And kids are chaotic so they don’t really get as affected by people talking and other disruptions. “Movie magic” is still a thing for them.

I more or less stopped going to movie theaters in my 20s, not because of price but because of the convenience of watching at home and avoidance of disruptions.

The price of movies isn’t worth it considering: too many movies are poorly written with excessive AI, some other people are just classless (talking during the movie, using their phones), theater employees not cleaning up food/waste between shows. I can wait and watch from home instead of paying $80 (family) to be annoyed.

Maybe cause they don’t have to pay for it yet?