By Michaela Gordoni
Americans’ dissatisfaction with movie theaters may be growing due to increasing costs.
One Reddit user ranted that he took his 3-year-old to see a movie. He was given the prior day’s popcorn and bought a water, which amounted to $40.
“[We walked] into the theatre right at noon for a noon movie start time. The movie doesn’t start till 12:30. I get a half hour of a toddler getting antsy, ready to go home, while an ad for AMC explodes my eardrums,” he wrote. “It was a horrible experience and I don’t care to ever go to the movies ever again.”
Others weighed in about deafening volume levels, audience behavior and sky-high prices, Newsweek reported on Feb. 2.
Related: Are Movie Theaters On Their Way Out?
One New Jersey resident said, “It’s much more convenient. I can watch anything I want, I just have to wait a month or two after the movies are released because they usually go to streaming pretty quickly.”
An AP-NORC survey conducted last August found that 75% of adults have streamed recently released movies at home instead of going to the theater.
About 16% of adults visit the theater about every month, and 32% stream a new release monthly. Another poll reported that 77% of Americans would rather watch a movie at home than go to the theater.
In September, AP News reported the average cost of a regular movie ticket is $13.17. In 2022, it was $11.76. Cable TV noted the most expensive states to see movies are New York, Hawaii, California and Georgia. The cheapest states are Wyoming, Arizona and Wisconsin.
Consumers are amping up their home experience instead. They’re buying” smart projectors, Dolby Atmos speakers, Govee Backlighting for TVs, popcorn machines and mini fridges.
This issue is specific to America. But India, another country that has a high output of organic movies, also has some issues filling its theaters. A report by Ernst & Young examined the country’s theater patterns from 2019 to 2024. Over half of respondents said their biggest issue wasn’t costs but the quality and variety of movies.
Civic Science noted bingeing TV shows and movies is the most common way Americans cope with stress. But they’re more likely to watch from home when they feel stressed.
The main reason for why viewers don’t go to the movies also varies by age group. People 65 and up were more likely to report lack of interest in the movies shown, while ages 18 to 64 reported ticket prices as the primary reason, according to Civic Science.
All that to say is, the moviegoing experience in America wasn’t what it was like 20 years ago. Now, Americans really have to weigh their options before they go reserve a ticket and buy that popcorn.
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