Judging by the headlines, you’d think it was time to pity the poor film industry.
The number of motion picture theaters continues to plummet; in 1950, there were 19,000 theaters; in 2000, 7,000; and today, about 5,800 houses.
David Ellison – backed by his father – threatens to take his Paramount marbles and move out of state if his acquisition of Warner Bros. is blocked.
The cost of going to a movie, just like everything else, continues to rise. Out-of-state and out-of-country filming continues to eat into California’s production figures.
Are we seeing the slow demise of an art form spawned in Europe yet refined in Hollywood?
Not by a long shot.
Numbers tell the story. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, was the second-highest-grossing film ever at the domestic box office, $2.4 billion global box office; The Odyssey $1.6 billion; and Toy Story 5, $1.1 billion.
This month, The Odyssey surpassed Jurassic World to become the highest-grossing film in Universal Pictures’ 114-year history. That’s particularly remarkable considering that Universal City, formally opened by Carl Laemmle in 1915, is the longest continuously operating major Hollywood studio site.
According to the Times, “For the full summer…theatrical revenue in the U.S. and Canada is expected to reach $4.76 billion, marking the highest summer ever…” This summer, more than 322 million tickets were sold, compared to 263 million last summer.
Gen Z seem to have discovered the joys of theater-going, particularly to see horror films and low-budget fare focused on their demographic. According to a survey by Fandango, 89 percent of surveyed ticket buyers hoped to see more movies in 2025 than in 2024.
And those in that generation went to the movies an average of seven times last year.
For years, the film decision-makers focused on “content.” If we got one superhero, we saw 10 films with superheroes; if a horror film was successful, a string of horror movies would be forthcoming; and if everyone was talking about a romantic comedy, one could be sure more would follow quickly.
That hasn’t changed (see Spider-Man above), but younger filmmakers are looking to those of their generation to make films about their places in society. Filmmakers have realized, post-COVID, that theatergoers will support epics and other “big” motion pictures.
As The New York Times wrote two weeks ago, many people no longer are satisfied seeing a film on their laptops or home screen, but: “…they actually want to be in the theater with other people. Crowds watching horror films treasure the feeling of yelping along with others. Audiences for Spider-Man: Brand New Day gasped and even cried together. Viewers fought hard to get tickets to The Odyssey on the biggest screens possible because the theatrical experience matters.”
Obsession, a horror film made by a 26-year-old pulled in $490 million at the global box office; that’s more than 650 times its $750,000 budget.
The Economist asked, “What explains this surge? Partly, cinema is being boosted by the technology some thought might kill it: social media. Online communities generate buzz – nearly half of European youngsters say they discover new films on TikTok.”
How ironic that social media should be one of the saviors of the theater-going experience.
A century ago, those in the motion picture business worried that radio’s free home entertainment would reduce movie attendance. Radio offered music, comedy, drama, sports, and news without requiring people to leave home or buy a theater ticket. In the 1940s and ‘50s, pundits opined that television would spell doom for motion pictures…until everyone realized that studio filmmakers were best positioned to provide the content for the home screen.
When technology brought streaming capabilities to the home TV set, films could be viewed anywhere, any time on portable devices. Once again, it would spell the end of (movie) life on earth as we knew it.
Social media is how younger people learn about films they should see, their means of sharing film experiences, and FOMO – fear of missing out – all are important driving forces among them.
Motion pictures – and seeing them in a theater with other people – is enjoying another resurrection.
From the earliest days of the last century in rural America, through the opulent movie palaces of the 1930s and ‘40s, movie theaters have been a gathering place for generations.
Perhaps The New York Times article of September 2, summed it up best: “You may have heard otherwise, so let’s set the record straight: People love going to the movie theater.”
Cooper supervised PR for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for 10 years; held executive positions with Disney and Universal Studios; was Board Chairman of the UCLA Film & Television Archive; and is a member of the Board of the British Film Institute in America. His fifth book, The ‘Reel’ Hollywood: The San Fernando Valley, the history of motion pictures in the Valley, was published in May. He is currently writing the official history of the Hollywood Burbank Airport.
