What’s Driving Gen Z’s Return to Movie Theaters

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "What’s Driving Gen Z’s Return to Movie Theaters"

Host: Alison Stewart (A)
Guest: Ryan Lattanzio, Executive Editor at Indiewire (B)
Date: December 22, 2025
Length summarized: [00:07–27:32]

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the surprising resurgence of moviegoing among Gen Z (born 1997–2012). Host Alison Stewart speaks with Indiewire Executive Editor Ryan Lattanzio about new industry data, what’s luring younger generations back to movie theaters, and how cinema culture is evolving. The discussion weaves audience calls and texts—offering perspectives from multiple generations on why the “big screen” experience retains its appeal (and its challenges).

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Key Discussion Points

Gen Z: The New Moviegoing Powerhouse

• Main Stat: Gen Z went to an average of 6.1 movies in theaters this year, more than any other group ([02:30]).

• Why They're Going:

  • Craving immersive, event-like experiences: premium screens (IMAX, 4DX), better sound, and “deluxe” seating ([02:40]).
  • “Innovative concessions”—beyond popcorn, more elaborate/themed snacks, and in-seat ordering ([02:40]).

  “Gen Z audiences were really interested in immersive moviegoing experiences...premium large format screens like IMAX or 4DX, bigger sound, they want more spectacle.” – Ryan Lattanzio [02:40]

The Eventization of Movies

• 4DX Experience: Moving seats, environmental effects enhancing blockbusters ([03:35–03:39]).

• Themed Concessions: Custom snacks (e.g., a Dune sandworm popcorn bucket), and elaborate tie-ins ([04:38]).

• Social Media Synergy: Stars (like Timothée Chalamet) interact directly with fans via exclusive online content, further driving Gen Z’s engagement ([05:43]).

  “There’s this direct line from talent to fans...especially who already have that connection on social media. It’s going to be critical moving forward.” – Ryan Lattanzio [06:34]

Economic and Accessibility Factors

• Price Barriers: Moviegoing remains expensive, particularly in major cities ([06:51]). Some resistance persists due to cost, especially for families or older viewers.

• Short Release Windows: The quick move from theatrical to streaming means missing the “cultural moment” if not seen quickly ([07:41–08:14]). Younger callers note it’s easier to stream at home if you miss the window.

  “If I don't see a movie within the first three weeks, I've already kind of missed the conversational zeitgeist.” – Andrew, caller [07:41–08:14]

The Allure of the Theater: Phone-Free Escapism

• Enforced Focus: Several callers (notably Millennials and older) highlighted loving the social contract of no phones/texting, allowing a true escape from daily distractions ([09:45–10:32]).

• Collective Reactions: Seeing comedies, thrillers, or impactful moments with a crowd amplifies emotional experience, something lost when viewing at home ([13:55], [14:22]).

  “I really love [that theaters] force me to turn off my phone...Put away your phone, sit in the dark, giant screen, and I really love it.” – Madrine, caller [09:45]

Movie Types: Blockbusters, Originals, and Video Game Adaptations

• Push for Fresh Stories: Gen Z reportedly fatigued by franchises, favoring “originals” or unexpected twists on familiar stories (e.g., new spins on classics like Nosferatu) ([12:13]).
• Video Game Crossovers and Marketing: Massive draws include movies with video game tie-ins or avatars in games like Fortnite ([17:00]).
• Blockbusters Still Reign: Major releases (Superman, Fantastic Four, video game movies) still drive the box office. Some fatigue with Marvel, but restarts and new crossovers renew interest ([24:35]).

Cinephilia and Regional Cinema Experiences

• NYC as Cinephile Paradise: Access to repertory, indie, and classic films is unparalleled in cities like New York, London, Paris ([18:13]). Museums with cinema programs and Q&As give unique value.
• Discounts and Incentives: Art house cinemas offering lower prices or special events/guests boost attendance across age groups ([20:02], [22:25]).

Streaming, Studios, and the Future of Exhibition

• Studio Strategies: Increasing importance of post-theater streaming (PVOD) for studio profits ([08:19]).

• Possible Netflix/Warner Bros. Merger: Concerns that shrinking theatrical windows could be detrimental to cinemas ([21:42]).

  • Potential silver lining: Repertory/art house experiences may become the only way to see classics or find community around film ([21:42]).

• Oscars Going Online: As traditional broadcast awards lose relevance, move to streaming (Oscars on YouTube by 2029) could refocus attention ([26:32]).

  “What will rise above this is repertory and arthouse movie going...You see a lot of younger people interested in seeing classic movies not on streaming, but in a theater.” – Ryan Lattanzio [21:42]

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Immersive Cinema:
  “They want cinema that’s going to be eventized. And also, Gen Z is really into ordering food and drinks at their seat and is very into, quote unquote, ‘innovative concessions.’” – Ryan Lattanzio [02:40]

• Defining 4DX:
  “Yeah, yeah, exactly...your seats vibrating, or there's...a bullet...you actually feel like what feels like a bullet sort of whiz by you.” – Ryan Lattanzio [03:39]

• On Social Impact:
  “Every day it's something new [from Timothée Chalamet]. He posted a rap video, played basketball with Adam Sandler...that direct line from talent to fans...is critical.” – Ryan Lattanzio [05:43]

• Caller, on The Expanded Home Experience vs. The Theatrical Event:
  “I find...one of the things that keeps me from going to the movies is the theater release timeline is so narrow...I'll just wait like another week and it'll be on demand.” – Andrew, caller [07:41–08:14]

• Caller, on Value of Escapism:
  “Put away your phone, sit in the dark, giant screen. And I really love it.” – Madrine, caller [09:45]

• Community Sharing:
  “My kid goes, ‘Oh, God, is this a musical?’...the whole theater cracked up. So those are the moments. That’s why in our family we like to go see movies in the theater.” – Rocky, caller [13:16]

• On Comedies Needing Crowds:
  “Comedies do work better when you're watching them with a group of people.” – Ryan Lattanzio [14:22]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:30] – Gen Z’s high moviegoing rate and what’s driving it
• [03:35] – What exactly is 4DX?
• [05:43] – Social media’s direct impact connecting stars and young audiences
• [06:51] – Moviegoing costs and the economics of attendance
• [07:41]/[08:14] – Caller: FOMO as a driver; short theatrical release window
• [09:45] – Millennial caller on escapism and enforced phone-free time
• [13:16] – Family/crowd moments make theaters special
• [14:22] – Why comedies work best with a crowd
• [17:00] – Habitual movie-going is up, driven by original stories and video game movies
• [18:13] – NYC as a haven for cinephiles and discovering classics
• [21:42] – Risks of streaming giants taking over studios and shortening theatrical windows
• [26:32] – The shift of awards shows and cinema events to streaming

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Conclusion & Tone

The episode’s tone is thoughtful, lively, and personal—mixing industry insight with love for the collective and immersive aspects of moviegoing. Gen Z's renewed enthusiasm is explained not as a contradiction but a logical response to theaters offering tailored, social, and eventized experiences, even as broader industry challenges loom.

By folding in direct audience contributions, the show offers a cross-generational snapshot of cinema’s appeal, and why (despite streaming) theaters may endure as unique spaces for connection, spectacle, and shared memory.

Transcript

[A]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I am grateful you are here and I am thankful for my colleagues at Team all of it, as well as Tiffany Hansen and David first for filling in for me for a week so I could have a staycation in New York City. And thankful to you dear listeners, for all your great suggestions. I took you up on them. I had chicken soup at a Zara up in Harlem. I went to the Brooklyn Lightscape at the Botanical Gardens. I went down to Wall street to see the Christmas tree. I had a great time. If you want to see pictures of my events, you can check out my personal Instagram page. I am Alison Stewart to see all of the events of my week off. But I am back at work and we have a great show planned for you today. Director Laura Poitras is here to talk about her powerful new documentary cover Locavore founder Caroline Weaver. She joins us for our go local to the borough of Queens. We go to share some tips on some great local stores you want to check out. And we want to know your favorites as well. And we'll talk about holiday rom coms with Vulture writer Rebecca Alter. That's our plan. So let's get this started with some surprising news about movie theaters. A new report has some information for the future of movie theaters. According to the trade association United Cinema, the age group that saw the most movies this year was Gen Z. People born from 1997 to 2012. So ages 13 to 28, the generation raised on little screens, was the one that saw the most films on the big screen more than any other, going to the movie over six times on average in the past year. The report also finds other good news for theaters with rises in habitual movie going overall and more subscriptions for cinema loyalty programs. Joining me now to break this down is Indiewire Executive editor Ryan Lattanzio. Hey Ryan, nice to talk to you.

[B]

Hey Alison, thanks so much for having me. I'm a habitual listener, so I'm very honored.

[A]

So Gen Z went to about 6.1 films this year. What were some of the reasons behind them deciding to get their butts to the theater?

[B]

Well, what this strength of exhibition report by Cinema United, which represents more than 30,000 movie screens all over the United States. Their findings were that Gen Z audiences were really interested in immersive moviegoing experience. So with that, we're talking about premium large format screens like IMAX or 4DX also, you know, bigger sound. So they just, they want more spectacle. They want cinema that's going to be eventized. And also, this was surprising to me too. Gen Z is really into ordering food and drinks at their seat and is very into, quote unquote, innovative concessions. And I know that if you go to Alamo Drafthouse or something, there's often like a tie in or, you know, with Wicked, you get like some green popcorn or something. I'm totally making that up. But that's kind of what the idea is there. And they're also really into deluxe seating. So in other words, some of these are things that don't have anything to do with the movies themselves.

[A]

All right, first of all, I wanted to ask, what is 4dx? Is that when the seats move around and stuff?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So it's like if you went to see the rerelease of Titanic, you know what I mean? Like, you sort of feel the catastrophe rushing around you, your seats vibrating, or like in one battle after another, there's a moment where somebody, like a bullet while someone gets shot in the head, and you actually feel like what feels like a bullet sort of whiz by you.

[A]

So you're there for the experience.

[B]

Correct?

[A]

All right, listeners, does this resonate with you? How many times do you go to the movie theaters this year? Do you fit in your generation? Are you an outlier? What did you think watching a film on screen? What does it do for you? Or did you stream at home? What kind of movies brought you out to the theater? Give us a call or text. 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyz so we know Gen Z went to the movie theaters to have the popcorn, to get the popcorn bucket shaped like, I don't know, somebody's head.

[B]

Sandworm.

[A]

Yeah, the dune sandworm. How did that compare to other groups?

[B]

Yeah, that's the thing is that actually what this study found is that more than 200 million Americans between 12 and 74 did see one movie. So that's, you know, that's under two thirds of the US population, but it's more than half, which is encouraging. And obviously a lot of the audience for these movies are males, men that are 25 and older. You know, something that, you know, when, when we talk about what theaters and publicity teams are kind of doing to bring people into theaters, a lot of that has to do with direct, like talent to audience, a pipeline or interaction. And you can kind of see that, like there's A movie that opened over the weekend called Marty supreme, in which Timothee Chalamet has done a lot of exclusive content that he shared on his social media and that really audiences feel like they're kind of a part of it. So that's part of the reason why you account for all these younger audiences coming out, at least according to this study.

[A]

That's interesting because Timothee Chalamet's press tour has been something to behold. Every day it's something new.

[B]

Yeah. And he's made some vain, glorious remarks, I would say, and the man could use a little humility, but he's kind of retconning and saying that that's all in the spirit of the character who is this really arrogant ping pong player who's extremely selfish. But the movie grossed almost $900,000 in just six theaters in New York and LA over the weekend. And we know Timothee Chalamet can open a movie because of films like Dune and Wonka, but we're talking about his publicity campaign. There's. He posted a rap video over the weekend. A few weeks ago he played basketball with Adam Sandler in la. And so I think this direct line from talent to fans especially who already have that connection on social media is going to be critical moving forward.

[A]

I'm curious about the, of going to a movie because it's increased as we've gotten older, as I've gotten older. And I'm wondering if it factors into the decision because I'm wondering in this age group, are there, you know, you don't pay for a babysitter. It's not an additional cost.

[B]

Yeah. You know, the average movie. What is the average price? It's like 11 or $12 or something. But we live, but we live in New York where we know a movie is at least like 18 bucks or something. And then if you're, you're bringing, you're bringing family, you're buying food and. You know what I mean? It really does add up. Actually. Recently Steven Spielberg was who produced this movie, Hamnet. That's the best picture contender. This year he was taking to social media to urge audiences to come out and see the movie. But I noticed that a lot of the comments on that were like, well, once you make going to the movies a little bit cheaper, maybe we'll show up. So it definitely is a big part of the decision. And I don't know. Fortunately, in my position, I don't pay to see movies, but would I see as many if I were paying? Probably not.

[A]

Let's talk to Andrew from Brooklyn. Hi, Andrew, thank you for making the time to call all of it. You're on the air.

[C]

Of course. Thank you so much. Yeah, I also come from a younger generation and I find that one of the things that keeps me from going to the movies is the theater release timeline is so narrow where I feel like if I don't see a movie within the first three weeks, I've already kind of missed the conversational zeitgeist. And I really have no real like push to get me to the theater because I'll just wait like another week and it'll be on demand.

[A]

Interesting point. It says here you're 26. What do you make of that, Ryan?

[B]

Yeah, that's interesting because, you know, when we talk about box office, it's no longer just theatrical attendance. It's, it's pvod. It's, you know, it's, and these are premium pricing films. This is like paying $20 to watch one battle after another at home. There was an earlier study last year that, that suggested that Gen Z and so therefore, you know, Andrew's age group basically doesn't consumes most of their TV and film content not on a big or, or a small screen. So I mean, we know what that means basically. So I think it's just as easy for these people to, for people to wait and watch the movie at home. And that's also a way that the studio's, the studios take in like 80% of the profits from, from PVOD titles. So it's a very lucrative option.

[A]

My guest is Indiewire executive editor Ryan latanzio. He's joining us to discuss going to the movie theater. Listeners, did you go to the movie theater this year? Did you stream it at home?

[C]

Why?

[A]

Our numbers 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. Do you fit within this Gen Z and you're going to the theater or are you an outlier? Our 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Let's talk to Madrine who is calling from Brooklyn. Hi, Madrine, thanks for being with us.

[C]

Hi, how's it going? I'm so excited to talk about this. I go to the movies as often as I can, but I'm a millennial. Though I identify as a millennial, I'm old school with it. One of the things I really love is that it really does force me to turn off my phone. I mean, it's part of the rules. No phones no texting, no talking. And that's not something we can do at home. We can still pause and text and talk. But going to the movie theaters is that old fashioned. Like, put away your phone, sit in the dark giant screen. And I really love it.

[A]

You like the escapism of it? It sounds like.

[C]

I love the escape of it because we're, we're always scrolling, you know, we're always on our screens. We're watched up on our screens on our little phone. So like the fact that it's telling you, hey, you paid $25 for this ticket. Put away your phone, pay attention. I love it.

[A]

Thanks for calling. Reid is calling us from Brooklyn. Hey Reid, thanks for taking the time to call. All of it.

[C]

Allison, long time, Long time. I guess I want to push back against not the last caller. I agree with her wholeheartedly, but the one before that. I think one of the best things about living in New York is you can see one battle after another in 70 millimeter IMAX. It'll reissue six months later with a six minute trailer for the Odyssey, which I did last week. And then yesterday I saw Marty supreme in 70 millimeter film print and got a pack of ping pong balls with the Marty supreme logo on them. I think it's like, it's one of the coolest things you do. And it like I read somewhere that Marty supreme had the highest theater average of any movie released this year. And I think that like you're talking earlier about Timothee Chalamet dropping a rap video doing like a fake zoom call guy has his thumb on the pulse of the zeitgeist. And I'm just so lucky to be in New York where we can experience it in person with all the cool things in the cool formats.

[A]

Thanks for the call. This says I'm a late boomer, early Gen Xer, and see four or five films a week and almost no smaller screen entertainment Lately I noticed most older Gen Z's at moma often talking loudly with like swagger, like they invented historic and foreign films still will. I'm super happy to see these puppies appreciating cinema. It's a funny statement. You said the, the report said that Gen z saw a 25% bump in theater going compared to last year. What do you make of that increase? Is it the type of movie that's coming out? Is it sort of the hangover of COVID wearing off?

[B]

I think it's all of those things and I do appreciate the caller who respects the, the, the sanctity of the movie going experience and wants to put their phone away because that's not always what I observe in, in these movies. Yeah, I mean, I think there have been other studies that show that this particular age group is fatigued by sequels and remakes and wants to see original stories, even if that's something familiar that has an original spin on it. Like an example I'll use just from late last year was Nosferatu, which maybe Gen Z aren't especially familiar with that silent movie from the 20s, but you know, they, they understand vampire lore. And remember for this one, I went to an event that would took place a dinner that took place in a crypt where it was 75 social media creators. And then me, like I'm not a social media creator that then that content generated 400 million views.

[A]

Wow, that's amazing. Let's talk to Rocky from the Bronx. Hey, Rocky.

[C]

Hi. How are you doing?

[A]

Okay. You're on the air.

[C]

I wanted to share a story. I'm a mom of two. I have two Gen Alpha kids. I'm a millennial. We go see the movies all the time. And the story I wanted to share is my. We went to see the Willy Wonka movie a couple years ago, and my kid at the time was like 11. And as the movie starts and the lights go down and Timothee Chalamet starts singing loud enough for the whole theater to hear, my kid goes, oh, God, is this a musical? And the whole theater cracked up. And so those are the moments. That's why in our family we like to go see movies in the theater.

[A]

That is a very funny story. Thanks for calling. You know, I was listening to Pop culture Happy hour this morning and they were reviewing the film with Sydney Sweena and Amanda Seyfried and talking about how the Housemaid, I think it's called, and how if you had watched it by yourself, you might not have the same reaction that they did watching it in the theater, because they got the jokes. Everybody around them got the jokes. That it is a different experience.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. You know, I notice on my end of things that studios, when it comes to comedies, they're not going to send like, I know they don't send me screener links. They don't want me to see it alone. They want you to be in the audience so that you get swept up into it. And I mean, I think that's true. Comedies do work better when you're watching them with a group of people.

[A]

Brian is calling from Marlboro, New Jersey. Hi, Brian. Thank you so Much for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[C]

Thank you, Alison. It's great to hear your voice. Yeah. I'm 52, grew up always going to movies. Took my kids to movies when they were younger. But I've noticed as I've gotten older, we really, even my kids who are in their 20s, we really only go to the movies when it's something a director of magnitude for us, like a Nolan or the last Tarantino film, Hollywood, I saw in the theater, which was great because, yes, everyone was laughing at the right points together. But otherwise, as I get older and I need more bathroom breaks and you know, if the technology of the movie is not something I need to go to a theater for, it's just so much easier to watch from home, you know, to take the breaks when I need to. So it's hard for us to. I'm not drawn like when I was younger to go see a movie because there was a particular actor in it or a star, but a director like the Dune movies or this type of movie. Like I said, you know, Tarantino or any Nolan film, gotta go to the movie theater for it. You just can't experience it the right way.

[A]

Thanks for calling in, listeners. Do you go to the movie theaters? Actually go to the movie theaters? Gen X, I mean, Gen Z, they're into it. Are you as well? The number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. We'll take more of after a quick break. You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Indiewire executive editor Ryan Latonzo, joining us to discuss who is going to see a movie in a theater. It seems Gen Z is heading on back to theaters. This the Cinema Report. The Cinema Cinema United Cinema Report. Ryan said that there's a group called habitual moviegoers, people who see at least six movies in a year and that rose by 8% as well. How does that compare to previous years? And why do you think it happened last year?

[B]

Yeah, well, I think it was the last time there was a study in 2024. It was something under like they were averaging, seeing like just under five a year. And I think the jump has been that studios have responded to Gen Z's thirst for original movies and original storytelling, but also a lot of the box office this year was driven by video game movies as well. And as well as movies that had a sort of video game tie in with their marketing. Like an example is that the re release of Kill Bill, which was. I actually don't know the box office numbers of that one. But it's the two parts of the movie, as one part of that was premiered on Fortnite. And also one battle after another had an avatar in Fortnite as well as Wicked. And it's weird. One Battle is a movie that defies comfortable categorization. And so it seemed a little bit anachronist that that was in Fortnite. But also movies like a Minecraft movie and Five Nights at Freddy's, those were huge with audiences as well. And a lot of that does come from this age group.

[A]

Let's talk to Marla. Hi, Marla, thank you so much for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[C]

Oh, hi. I'm not a gen zer. I'm in my 70s and retired. And I just wanted to make the point that New York City, along maybe with London and Paris, is the great city for true cinephiles. And you have the opportunity to. To see not just commercial releases, but all kinds of independent films, features, documentaries from all over the world from, you know, decades past. And two of the best venues I won't name the commercial ones in Manhattan, which are great also are both MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. And if you become a member of those museums, you get either free or very deeply discounted movies. And they feature, a lot of times, interviews with directors. And I hope that the younger generation rediscovered the great films of the past, which, when I was young were sort of de rigueur, the great European films and a lot of great films that were made in this country, particularly in the 60s and 70s. So. And I think that that is one of the privileges of living in this city is that you can be a true cinephile here and enjoy, you know, the big screen and see things that you can't stream or see anywhere else.

[A]

Thank you so much for calling in. Let's talk to Beth from West Orange. Hi, Beth. Thanks for calling all of it.

[C]

Hi, Allison. So my husband and I are boomers and we have been raised on the movies. Love going to the movies when there's something worthwhile seeing. So recently we went to Jacob Burns up in Pleasantville. I don't know if people are familiar with that. It's a fantastic cinema arts center. And they had Brendan Fraser's new movie with Brendan Fraser as the guest after the film. And the film was terrific and he was great. And the first thing that he did before taking questions Was just thanking everybody for actually coming out to a movie theater.

[A]

That's very.

[C]

That was really appreciated.

[A]

Yeah, that was very funny. He was a guest on this show, Ryan, and he said, so if you get. So if you can't get into Wicked, come to my movie instead when you're at the theater. And I find that interesting that actors are saying, yes, please come to the theater. Not just Nicole Kidman, all kinds of actors are saying, please come to the theater.

[B]

Yeah. Tom Cruise as well is a really, is a big advocate for the theatrical experience, which this is another issue. But there's a situation now where Netflix is potentially going to take over Warner Brothers. And Tom Cruise works in partnership with Warner Brothers now. He has an Alejandro movie coming in the fall next year. And he is a longtime champion of theaters. And something like that is going to be a problem for him. And he's very powerful and influential.

[A]

As we know, Paramount in some ways is a symbol of the traditional Hollywood system. And Netflix launching a streaming wars say it spells the end of cinema as we know it. What impact could this have on the strength of theatrical exhibition reports?

[B]

Well, the main issue, the main criticism of this potential Netflix takeover of Warner's is that Ted Sarandos, the CEO, is going to. He's going to shorten theatrical windows. By that, I mean the time that a movie premieres in theaters to when it's available on streaming. And so that's obviously going to really hurt theaters, I think. I don't know. I'm not confident that that's necessarily going to play out. But I think what will rise above this is repertory and arthouse movie going, which an earlier caller was talking. You see a lot of younger people that are interested in seeing classic movies not on streaming, but actually in a theater. And if Netflix takes over Warner Brothers, it may be the only place that they're going to be able to see these movies.

[A]

Yeah, we're getting a lot of texts about smaller films. Angelica Cinemas offers 50% off on Tuesdays with additional reduced price for seniors. So I caught some of the best indie films of the year. Notable mentions, hard truth, Eric LaRue. Sorry, baby, east of a Wall, it's someone else. I love to go see movie theaters at a place like IFC or the Angelica. That really proves your point. Let's talk to Elizabeth in Sunnyside. Hi, Elizabeth, thank you for calling, all of it.

[C]

Thank you for taking my call. Yeah, I just wanted to talk about. I love the new recliners in the movie theaters. And we have. My husband and I have two Kids, we take them to the theaters, especially for the Marvel DC comic kind of movies. I saw Wicked last year. Loved it. Then I took my aunt who was visiting to see Wicked for good, and I took a siesta in it. I didn't expect to, But I missed 90% of the movie. And I attribute that to the lovely and very comfortable recliner. So that's sometimes why sometimes I like to watch movies at home. Because I know now that I'm in my 50s, that might happen to me. But jumping on what a previous caller talked about, the collective experience of watching a movie with other people is, can be so enjoyable. One of my favorite memories is visiting my dear friend at her school at the time when we were both in college, she was at Tufts University. And we saw Misery. You know, RIP Rob Reiner, I didn't even realize he directed that until this past week. But it's such a great movie. And I think if I'd watched that at home or in a different theater, I would have had a more somber experience because it's not exactly a comedy. But for some reason, the group we were with, we found it hysterical. And it's a great memory. We just had a fabulous time watching it. And Kathy Bates was so over the top. And of course, she deserved that Oscar that she won for it. But. Yeah, so I have a. I love movies, but I have to be careful to try to stay away from them if I'm gonna pay the money to see it in a theater.

[A]

Yeah. With those reclining chairs. Thanks for calling in. Ryan, a question for you. This year, we saw the release of Superman and the Fantastic Four. How do the big movies play into this conversation?

[B]

Well, if you look at the top 10 global box office, only one movie was an original story, which was F1. And that is, of course, about racism. It's not that. It's not that original. But Superman was in there, and Superman did really well. A lot of that was because it was a. It was not a reinventing of the wheel, but it was a kind of restart. Right. Because so many of these movies, it's like, once the train is left to the station, it's so hard to get on board. And so with Superman and Fantastic Four, these were both movies that kind of, like, turned the page and allowed new audiences to come in. The Fantastic Four actually didn't do as well as expected. So there is still a bit of fatigue with Marvel. But next year, we're getting Doomsday, which is going to bring all these people back together for another movie that will really be the test of how these movies are actually still playing with people.

[A]

Claire is calling us from Connecticut. Hi, Claire, thanks for making the time to call us on all of it. You're on the air.

[C]

Thank you, Allison. I just wanted to share that we took my 5 year old this weekend to see Zootopia too. There's a local theater here in Ridgefield, the Prospector, which is a nonprofit, employees adults with special needs. And it's a true, just a great way to build community. We saw a lot of families, a lot of teens actually in the movie theater. And it's just an awesome place. If anyone's in the area, it's, it's worth a visit.

[A]

Thanks so much. Somebody texted Allison. One of the reasons why we love and support the film forum is because they have the best popcorn in New York. You know, this is a, this report is showing all the, the good sides of cinema, but there's got to be a downside. I've heard people saying the Hollywood is in grips because movies aren't being made. People aren't interested in independent thought. What do you take from that?

[B]

Not that the movies aren't being made, it's just that they're not giving the people what they want and people are finding what they're looking for on television. And that is, I mean, that's the goal of someone like Netflix, is that they want people watching these things at home. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, you also, it's like movie theaters are still like the pandemic was a crushing blow to theaters and attendance is really down on that. And then you look at something like the viewership numbers on like Golden Globes and the Oscars, people are disconnected from these things that feel like old guard or kind of legacy institutions. And then of course with the Oscars, is that's going to be streamed on YouTube as of 2029. So that's, you know, turning this always rarefied Tony Awards ceremony into a streaming event that's hopefully going to reach more people and is going to bring more people to those movies, which, you know, characteristically, do struggle at the box office.

[A]

IndieWire executive editor Ryan Lattanzio joined us to discuss who's going to the movie theater. Thanks for your time.

[B]

Thanks, Allison.

[A]

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[C]

In addition to this award winning reporting.

[A]

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