The death of the movie theater has been greatly exaggerated, says Comscore senior analyst Paul Dergarabedian (by way of Mark Twain). It’s a sentiment being mimicked by others in the entertainment landscape over the last several months. In a world of 24/7 streaming content, and the fears that Gens Z and Alpha are becoming increasingly apathetic to the movie theater, things certainly are changing. Even an article published this past January is asking, “Are movie theaters cool again?” (emphasis mine).

“The health of the movie industry is: You take its temperature one week and it could be riding high,” Dergarabedian says. “The next week people are tolling the death knell for the movie theater.”

Recently many in the media have been predicting the end of moviegoing. The up and down on the theatrical landscape of course is tied with box office. Since the pandemic started in 2020, prognosticators of a movie’s success have had a far wilder time analyzing the tea leaves. “Box office, while it’s a good measurement … there are so many other ways to measure the success of our industry,”  says Andrew Stewart, chief communications officer for Cinema United.

But the stats are certainly showing that movie theaters are seeing a resurgence in North America, particularly in the young. According to Cinema United’s “Strength of Theatrical Exhibition” study, published in December: Habitual moviegoers who saw at least six films in a year grew by 8%; 77% of Americans between the ages of 12-74 saw at least one movie in a theater, and 41% of Gen Z audiences went to a movie theater six or more times, a 10% increase since 2022.

The international box office is also strong, with China, France, the U.K./Ireland, and Germany leading the pack. “What is clear from the data is that China is a powerhouse second only to North America in its box office generating power particularly with their homegrown titles that often bring in staggering amounts of revenue in China alone,” says Degarabedian.

“During February’s Chinese New Year, Chinese films accounted for four of the top five films, with the top global film ‘Pegasus 2’ earning $152.2M in its debut weekend.” Germany, alongside Italy, Russia, and South Korea, saw double-digit gains within the last thirteen weeks compared to this same time last year.

“The North American market of course remains the top grossing territory,” Degarabedian explains, “But it is indeed the collective horsepower of all countries, including notable films from France, the U.K., Mexico, Spain, and India and others that drive the global box office.”

Stewart adds, “Moviegoing still ranks as the most cost-effective out-of-home experience,” above going to a concert or a sporting event, which are placed at a far higher price point, have more limited availability/exclusivity, and engage in dynamic pricing.

The addition of loyalty programs like AMC Stubs, which offer members up to 50% off tickets on certain days make it easy to understand why audiences see movie theaters as a fun experience at a more affordable cost. “We’re seeing that people are gravitating, each year, more towards the premium large formats, which have an upcharge,” Dergarabedian explains. Whether that’s because theater tickets are relatively stable in price is unknown, though in comparison to other activities it’s certainly attractive.

Theaters investing in themselves is also another factor in their resurgence. Both Stewart and Dergarabedian point out that theaters have become almost like a rec center for attendees, with many offering up full menus, bowling alleys, and other means of bringing you in, even if it’s not to see a movie. Cinema United’s “Cinema Investment Report” from 2025 shows theater owners invested over $1 billion dollars into their establishments.

“We like to say that exhibition isn’t a Hollywood industry. It’s a Main Street industry,” says Stewart. “We consider ourselves akin to local mom-and-pop restaurants, or local entrepreneurial businesses on any sort of Main Street America community. We are in communities of all sizes around the country and around the world. These communities really do rely on us as cultural anchors, sort of like community hubs.”

That being said, there are fewer theaters out there in comparison to 20 years ago, meaning overall, fewer tickets being sold. “Admissions have fallen, but there’s fewer theaters, fewer seats. It’s a leaner and meaner business,” says Dergarabedian.

So what’s the secret ingredient to pull people into the theater? Dergarabedian says, if anything can be gleaned from the relationship between box office and theaters, it’s that audiences are very selective in what they’re willing to plunk down their money on. Gen Z, he cites, are going back to see anime titles and horror films like “Sinners” and “Weapons.”

“The movie theater has become a hub of influence,” he says. “But there has to be a reason. There has to be a motivation for younger people to go on TikTok, Facebook, X, whatever, and say, ‘Hey, I’m at the movie theater. I’m seeing this movie,’ whether it be the chicken jockey scene from ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ or it’s an anime film, or it’s ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ ”

The ground under the feet of the theatrical experience is still very shaky, and who knows if next year things will be worse, particularly as Paramount’s pending Warner Bros. purchase looms to consolidate more of the industry. Much like the box office itself, things aren’t predictable. But it’s certainly heartening to hear the optimism of those tracking the medium.