These figures might suggest problems for the theater business, but the data also says the movie production industry is still strong overall. People are simply consuming their movies at home instead of on the big screen.

Additionally, younger generations — especially Gen Zers — are more likely to be social viewers than older ones:

Even though most Americans watch movies at home, it’s clear they still prefer a social experience similar to a theater. Perhaps the ability to choose your movie partners at home is an important factor.

Also, there’s less concern at home for bothering others when you check your phone, get up to use the restroom, find more snacks, or sprawl out on the sofa or chair.

Overall, only 13% of people go to the movies a few times per month, with 4% going weekly. For baby boomers, these figures are 6% and 1%, respectively.

But are there parts of the theater experience actively keeping people at home?

None of these issues seem to be major deterrents in and of themselves. It could be, though, that multiple minor hassles or problems could be enough to keep people away from visiting the theater.

Exact preferences vary by generation:

But how do people actually learn about the latest releases hitting the big screen?

Another challenge for movie companies and theaters seems to be the need to advertise across different channels to reach their entire audience.

So while baby boomers are the most likely to avoid movie theaters because of the ticket cost, they’re not as concerned about the cost of concessions.

Concessions aren’t a required expense at the theater, but ticket costs are unavoidable.

Subscription rates are low across all generations:

Frequent theater subscription use would address concerns about ticket prices; after all, the more you go, the less you pay per movie. However, subscription numbers are not only low — they’re also used infrequently. Other factors must be keeping movie watchers at home.

When choosing a theater over a home movie experience, the following factors are most important to movie-goers:

However, factors like comfortable seating, movie quality, and social experience also stood out as reasons to choose the theater over the television.

Interestingly, this is one of the few areas where theaters can still beat even the best home entertainment systems.

Self-imposed distractions, like grabbing more popcorn or taking a bathroom break, seem to be less of a concern. A short intermission during the movie would allow for this, but most movie-goers don’t think it’s a good idea:

What about falling asleep at the movie theater and missing part of the show you paid to see?

Ultimately, the question would be whether these extra offerings would be a worthwhile investment if viewers would ultimately stay home anyway.

Password sharing makes streaming even more affordable. However, more and more platforms are cracking down on this practice, forcing people to pay for extra viewers or get separate subscriptions.

But do these streaming changes actually inspire anyone to cancel their subscription and go back to the movies? Yes, but the impact is limited, with 52% reporting no impact at all on their streaming habits.

Though a small minority of streamers are headed back to the theater, most are unaffected or find ways to work around added costs. This means something else keeps Americans tied to streaming services, even if they dislike recent changes.

It seems that older generations still prefer the comfort and convenience of home rather than the opening weekend experience of a new movie release.

Though baby boomers largely avoid paying for new releases, a majority of viewers either avoid the practice altogether or reserve it for rare movies they really want to see.

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