![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785285490_249_0x0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The power of collective experiences. <\/p>\n
getty<\/p>\n
Experts predicted that the cinema industry might never recover from the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The U.S. box office plummeted 80% in 2020<\/a>; studios prioritized direct-to-audience distribution and platforms like Netflix, YouTube and TikTok swallowed up a greater share of attention. The dominant narrative was that going to the cinema is an outdated concept, especially for young people. <\/p>\n But against all odds, young people are leading the revival of cinema. Gen-Z are the most active cinemagoing demographic, with 87% having seen a movie<\/a> in the cinema in the last year compared to 58% of Baby Boomers. What has caused this change in fortune and what\u2019s the biggest lesson for marketers and brands?<\/p>\n The cinema comeback has coincided with a wave of big blockbusters capturing the imagination of both die-hard fans, online communities and first-time cinemagoers alike. Global cinema sales are projected to reach $35 billion in 2026<\/a>\u2014a milestone the industry hasn\u2019t reached since the pandemic. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie became this year\u2019s first $1 billion<\/a> release. Michael Jackson\u2019s biopic Michael is now the highest-grossing biopic of all time, surpassing Oppenheimer. And Christopher Nolan\u2019s universally acclaimed The Odyssey is projected to reach a similar milestone. In contrast, Netflix\u2019s shares are down nearly 50%<\/a> in the last year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the cultural impact and box-office success of low-budget movies like Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons and Obsession, directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker on a $750,000<\/a> budget, highlight a structural shift in the industry. Both directors started on YouTube and have brought their audience on the journey, cutting out the traditional gatekeepers. <\/p>\n Young people love watching movies on the big screen because it\u2019s one of the only moments in modern life when they can spend a couple of hours disconnected, uninterrupted and liberated from screens, apps and algorithms. Cinema is a collective experience. We get the chance to watch a movie with friends, families and strangers: in the same place, at the same time. In contrast, most people watch movies and TV shows on streaming platforms alone. For a generation deprived of physical interaction, going to the cinema is a social activity. You get to meet up with friends, watch a movie together and talk about it afterwards. <\/p>\n Gen-Z is the loneliest generation<\/a> in human history, more lonely than any other age group, including people aged 65 and over. A central factor is the proliferation of smartphones. Social media offers the feeling of connection without face-to-face interaction. Streaming platforms give us access to 1000s of movies without leaving the house. <\/p>\n Social media connects us with people without requiring physical interaction. Streaming platforms allow us to watch whatever movie we like, without leaving the house. E-commerce means we can buy food, clothes and electronics without ever stepping into a store. Naturally, teenagers spend less time socializing. The average American now spends 35 minutes<\/a> a day socializing. Silicon Valley has successfully removed friction from our lives, but is convenience killing community? <\/p>\n Going to the cinema is part of a wider trend of young people seeking shared communal experiences. We, humans, are social creatures; we rely on cooperation to survive and thrive. However, the modern world has been designed for hyper-individualization, stripping away the community infrastructure, collective memories and shared rituals critical to our well-being. <\/p>\n