We all have memories of walking into a movie theater with friends or family, grabbing a steaming bucket of buttered popcorn, and letting ourselves get swept away by a story for two unforgettable hours. But the sad truth is that movie theaters are in danger. Losing theaters means not only losing a physical space but also the unique experience of collective viewing.
But why exactly are theaters across the nation shutting down? Well, there are a multitude of reasons, one of the most prominent being the rise of streaming platforms. After COVID-19, there was a rise in the use of streaming services, and as NPR said, it caused the “biggest attendance drop in cinematic history.” A statistic from the University of Michigan shows that “during the first three months of 2020, more than 15.7 million new users had signed up for the platform [Netflix], a record number.” Medialooks said, “The pandemic disrupted the traditional theatrical release model, forcing film studios to adapt their distribution strategies. With theaters closed and uncertainty surrounding reopening dates, many production companies opted for direct-to-streaming releases”. This seemed to stick even after the pandemic, with the majority of individuals subscribing to at least one streaming service. Because of this, theaters have been seeing less of a turnout with their box office numbers at an all-time low. In May 2024, the box office earnings for the entire month came to $520 million. May 1998 ($510 million) was the only other year that had a worse start to the summer blockbuster season. And keep in mind, these were not just random movies. They were big-time productions like The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, as well as Furiosa with leads Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
However, these are not the only reasons fewer people are showing up at the movies. Another huge factor is the cost of going out to the movies. Nowadays, the average price of one ticket ranges from $11.31 to $12.22. This doesn’t include the snacks inside the theater, which people often purchase. Those have an average price of $8 for a medium bucket of popcorn. So, if we sum this all up, a family of four with concessions routinely breaks the $100.00 mark for one night out to the movies. This makes a family night out at the movies an expensive venture. In response to this, theater chains have responded by creating membership clubs where a flat monthly fee of around $30 to $40 allows subscribers the right to see multiple movies per week. This may be ideal for a retiree, but a family of four would still be paying $120 to $160 per month for such passes without enough family-friendly fare to justify the expense. However, this does not take away from the fact that people still love going to the theater. Sophomore Samantha Schassberger says, “ I love visiting theaters and seeing movies on the large screen. The experience of getting popcorn and going with friends is so special to me.”
Sadly, independent theaters are the ones that are being the most impacted by this change. Sean Baker, director of the Oscar-winning film Anora, said during his acceptance speech for Best Director, “Movie theaters — especially independently owned theaters — are struggling, and it’s up to us to support them.” Independent theaters have been forced to get creative in order to attract customers to face the competition from streaming services and larger theater chains. It is estimated that over 3,000 independent theaters nationwide have closed since 2020, a terrifying statistic.
Going to the theater is always a special experience, whether you are by yourself or with a group of friends, and we need to preserve that. The movie theater is a place where we can experience cinema with a community. The magic of collective laughter, tension, and awe that occurs when an audience shares a cinematic moment would vanish, something that we can’t replicate at home. Sophomore Abbey Baker says, “ I love going to watch new movies in theaters with my friends and family. Nothing beats the experience of sitting in the theaters to watch a new movie for the first time.” We all love the theater and they are truly a special place. Overall, the theater is a beautiful place to experience cinema, and we need to protect them.
