Gen Z cinema attendance continues to rise, according to a report from Cinema United.
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The trade organisation released the annual update to its Strength of Theatrical Exhibition report yesterday (December 17), and revealed that there’s been a 25 per cent increase in cinemagoing among Gen Z audiences this year.
Overall, 77 per cent of Americans aged between 12 and 74 saw at least one movie in theatres, with the number of those seeing at least six movies annually growing by 8 per cent too. Cinema loyalty programs in North America saw a 15 per cent jump in new subscriptions, too.
41 per cent of Gen Z viewers went to the cinema at least six times, an increase from 31 per cent the year before. On average, Gen Z moviegoers went to see 6.1 films throughout the year, up from 4.9 times in 2024.
It’s thought that the increase this year has been due to the release of a number of films proving popular with younger viewers. Among the films with a high viewership of under-30s were A Minecraft Movie, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, and Five Nights At Freddy’s 2.
Meanwhile, the report also features data from global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company’s Attention Equation report, revealing what Gen Z moviegoers’ priorities are when going to the cinema: immersive experiences and unique concessions.
Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of Cinema United, said: “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.
He added: “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.”
The findings will support the view of those in Hollywood who don’t share the view that Gen Z will always choose digital platforms like TikTok over traditional cinema, like Donna Langley, chairwoman of Universal Pictures, who last year said of young people today: “It’s not like the ’90s where teens go to the mall and just see whatever movie is in theatres. It is appointment viewing. But you can’t pinpoint what genre they’re interested in. 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.”
In contrast, a Deloitte report earlier this year found that Gen Z would prefer watching influencers on social media over film and TV.
Meanwhile, another study found that smartphones are now the “most used screen” for watching new video content, ahead of television.
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