Will Gen Alpha Bring Audiences Back to Theaters?
For years, Hollywood has treated the movie theater as an endangered species. Bigger TVs, endless streaming options, and the rise of mobile devices seemed to consign the multiplex to nostalgia. Even Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos—long criticized for bypassing theaters—famously framed them as a fading institution. Yet new research suggests that the youngest moviegoers, Gen Alpha (kids under 15), may be the ones to reverse the decline.
A forthcoming report from the National Research Group finds that kids born after 2010 actually prefer theaters to home viewing. Nearly six in 10 Gen Alpha respondents say they enjoy watching movies on the big screen more than on the couch, a striking contrast to Millennials, who lean the other way. To this digital-native generation—raised entirely in front of phones and tablets—the act of logging off and experiencing a story with friends and family feels exotic and special.
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters proved the point. The animated musical not only racked up a record 236 million streams on the platform, but also generated nearly $20 million in just two days during a theatrical stunt. The film’s sing-along screenings were crowded, communal, and brimming with fandom energy—exactly the kind of cultural moment that Gen Alpha craves. Teachers were comparing it to *Frozen*, parents were in on the joke, and kids wanted to celebrate it together, not just online.
But as the L.A. Times recently reported, the real gravitational pull for Gen Alpha comes from video game franchises. Seven of their top ten favorite brands are gaming IP—Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon—leaving traditional Hollywood sagas far behind. For these kids, gaming platforms aren’t just entertainment; they’re spaces of identity and socialization, where friendships are built and communities thrive.
That dynamic is already translating to box office. A Minecraft Movie has grossed $955 million worldwide, with audiences of children cheering and filming TikToks in theaters—turning the film into both a global hit and a viral social moment. The lesson is clear: Gen Alpha doesn’t just consume content, they perform it, share it, and want to experience it together.
The NRG study confirms this appetite for communal viewing. More than half prefer to go to theaters in large groups, and over 60 percent say they want to see new films on opening weekend. For them, movies are cultural milestones, not solitary pastimes.
If Hollywood wants to win them over, it will need to lean into digitally native IP, interactive formats, and theaters redesigned as social hubs. Ironically, Netflix—once blamed for killing theaters—may now be showing how they can thrive again, thanks to the very generation raised on screens.
Source: LA Times
Share:
Netflix Outlines Guidelines for Using Generative AI in Production
After the Acquisition of Paramount, David Ellison Prepares Strategic Bid for Warner Bros. DiscoveryRelated Posts
For years, Hollywood has treated the movie theater as an endangered species. Bigger TVs, endless streaming options, and the rise of mobile devices seemed to consign the multiplex to nostalgia. Even Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos—long criticized for bypassing theaters—famously framed them as a fading institution. Yet new research suggests that the youngest moviegoers, Gen Alpha (kids under 15), may be the ones to reverse the decline.
A forthcoming report from the National Research Group finds that kids born after 2010 actually prefer theaters to home viewing. Nearly six in 10 Gen Alpha respondents say they enjoy watching movies on the big screen more than on the couch, a striking contrast to Millennials, who lean the other way. To this digital-native generation—raised entirely in front of phones and tablets—the act of logging off and experiencing a story with friends and family feels exotic and special.
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters proved the point. The animated musical not only racked up a record 236 million streams on the platform, but also generated nearly $20 million in just two days during a theatrical stunt. The film’s sing-along screenings were crowded, communal, and brimming with fandom energy—exactly the kind of cultural moment that Gen Alpha craves. Teachers were comparing it to *Frozen*, parents were in on the joke, and kids wanted to celebrate it together, not just online.
But as the L.A. Times recently reported, the real gravitational pull for Gen Alpha comes from video game franchises. Seven of their top ten favorite brands are gaming IP—Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon—leaving traditional Hollywood sagas far behind. For these kids, gaming platforms aren’t just entertainment; they’re spaces of identity and socialization, where friendships are built and communities thrive.
That dynamic is already translating to box office. A Minecraft Movie has grossed $955 million worldwide, with audiences of children cheering and filming TikToks in theaters—turning the film into both a global hit and a viral social moment. The lesson is clear: Gen Alpha doesn’t just consume content, they perform it, share it, and want to experience it together.
The NRG study confirms this appetite for communal viewing. More than half prefer to go to theaters in large groups, and over 60 percent say they want to see new films on opening weekend. For them, movies are cultural milestones, not solitary pastimes.
If Hollywood wants to win them over, it will need to lean into digitally native IP, interactive formats, and theaters redesigned as social hubs. Ironically, Netflix—once blamed for killing theaters—may now be showing how they can thrive again, thanks to the very generation raised on screens.
Source: LA Times
Share:
Netflix Outlines Guidelines for Using Generative AI in ProductionAfter the Acquisition of Paramount, David Ellison Prepares Strategic Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
