Moviegoing in the US: Trends, Habits & the Rise of Streaming

Despite the rise of streaming services, a significant portion of Americans still venture to movie theaters, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. The study, released March 6, 2026, reveals that 53% of U.S. Adults had seen a movie in theaters in the past year.

The findings come as the 2026 Academy Awards approach, prompting a look at evolving moviegoing habits. While streaming has undoubtedly changed how people consume entertainment, the theatrical experience remains popular, particularly among certain demographics.

The Pew Research Center surveyed 9,916 U.S. Adults between July 8 and August 3, 2025, to gauge current trends. The survey reflects the views of all U.S. Adults and provides a detailed snapshot of who is going to the movies and why.

Notably, adults under 50 are more likely to have recently attended a movie theater. 67% of those aged 18 to 29 and 60% of those aged 30 to 49 reported seeing a movie in the past year, compared to 48% of those aged 50 to 64 and 39% of those 65 and older.

Demographic differences also play a role. 59% of Hispanic adults said they had been to a movie theater in the past year, a higher percentage than White adults (53%) and Black adults (49%). Income also correlates with moviegoing frequency, with 64% of adults with upper incomes having attended a theater, compared to 57% of those with middle incomes and 43% of those with lower incomes. Democrats and those leaning Democratic (58%) were also more likely to have gone to the movies than Republicans and those leaning Republican (50%).

However, the overall number of movie tickets sold remains below pre-pandemic levels. Domestic ticket sales peaked in 2002, with 1.6 billion tickets sold – roughly five per person. While the industry has been recovering, 2025 saw 769.2 million tickets sold, still less than half the volume recorded in 2002.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the movie theater industry. In 2020, ticket sales plummeted 81% to 231.6 million as theaters were forced to close. While numbers have improved since then, reaching 702.1 million in 2022 and 819.0 million in 2023, they haven’t fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 760.8 million tickets were sold.

Box office revenue tells a similar story. Adjusted for inflation, revenue peaked in 2002 at $16.4 billion. It fell to less than $3 billion in 2020 and reached just over $9 billion in 2025, indicating a slow but ongoing recovery.

The study also highlights the importance of premium formats. According to a separate report from Fandango, released in March 2025, 77% of moviegoers favor formats like IMAX, RealD 3D, and Dolby Cinema, with RealD 3D seeing a 16% year-over-year increase in interest. Loyal moviegoers – those who see five or more movies in theaters annually – are also more likely to pre-purchase tickets online (65%) compared to casual moviegoers (49%).

Social media is also playing an increasingly significant role in how people discover movies, with 59% of respondents to the Fandango study reporting they first hear about films through social platforms. This is particularly true for Gen Z, who are drawn to platforms like TikTok for movie-related content.

While the future of moviegoing remains uncertain, the Pew Research Center data suggests that the theatrical experience is far from obsolete. The industry continues to adapt, offering premium formats and online perks to attract audiences and compete with the convenience of streaming services.