People born between 1997 and 2012 are now more frequent cinemagoers than some older age groups, according to a US-based survey by Fandango, with 87% having seen at least one film in a cinema in the last 12 months compared with 58% of baby boomers.
With this in mind we asked young people about why they love the cinema.
‘The ability to block out two hours is so rare’
Many who responded said that the big screen offers respite from small screens. “It’s a distraction-free zone,” says Emma Balfour, 19, from Kirkcaldy in Scotland. “It helps me stay off my phone, since it’s something I want to stop using so much. There’s a lot more social stigma around being on your phone when a film’s playing on a cinema screen versus your own home, and the complete darkness means I can fully immerse myself.”
Alex McAleer, 22, living in Berkeley, California, agrees. “The ability to block out two hours and have that time be your own is so rare in a world where you’re constantly accessible, aware of the news cycle and aware of the potential for your phone to alert you.”
Alex says not all of his friends are as enthusiastic about the cinema as he is, though. “I have friends who ask how long a film’s runtime is because I think they’re genuinely worried they can’t sit there for two-and-a-half hours.”
‘One of the few watercooler moments our generation has left’
There’s a communal experience to the cinema that especially appeals to Jae, 23, from Swansea. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities any more to really watch things with people in a group,” he says. “There are moments when everyone in the cinema laughs in unison, or you can see people crying or gasping in shock. It’s the kind of setting where there’s absolutely no commitment to chat, but you are still spending time with people.”
Cinema provides the few “water cooler moments” that Jae’s generation has left, he says. “Not a lot of people are watching the same thing around the same time. Films are released universally. People go in groups or separately and then they’re able to discuss what they thought of it. I just don’t think you get opportunities like that a lot any more.”
‘The cinema is romanticised on TikTok’
Social media drives the cinema’s popularity with younger people, even those who want to escape their phones. It’s where successful films such as Marty Supreme and Wuthering Heights have recently focused their marketing campaigns, Alex points out. “People glamorise being cultured and artsy [on social media], even if it’s surface level,” he says. “It’s almost like a branding thing, that you can say that you’re into films. I think it’s become trendy, almost.”
Kate, 26, from Cambridge, uses TikTok to find film recommendations. “Film TikTokers do films to look out for, and there are normal people showing their Letterboxd or their experience of going to the cinema.” The cinema experience is often romanticised now, she says. “You put anything to nice music and make it a montage, and that content does very well on social media.”
‘I’m on Letterboxd more than anything else’
Letterboxd is an increasingly popular app for cinephiles to log the films they watch, publish reviews and follow other people. As of 2026 the platform has over 26 million users and is most popular among those aged between 18 and 35.
“I’ve used Letterboxd for probably four years now,” says Kate, who has 850 films logged so far. “I’m on it more than probably anything else and that’s my main way of tracking what might be worth going to see.”
She has introduced the app to her dad, with whom she regularly watches films. “If I see a lower rating, I’m not too bothered, but my dad won’t watch anything that’s below an average of 3.5 [out of five] on Letterboxd, that’s his rule.
Another Letterboxd fan is Ali Akbar, 28, from Liverpool, who has been to the cinema eight times this year so far. “In the past I used to use IMDb to track films, but that sort of website was less of a community. A friend recommended Letterboxd a couple of years ago. It works a lot more like social media, so that’s probably why it’s sort of gained so much traction. I enjoy leaving reviews and seeing other people’s.”
‘I wonder about the future of the cinema’
For some, the appeal of theatres comes down to the cost. As Cesca, 26, from London says: “If my only option was to go to Cineworld or something which is at least £15, I think I would struggle to want to go as much, but my local cinema is Peckhamplex and they do £6.99 tickets, so that’s more reasonable.”
Emma Balfour says her subscription to Odeon’s myLimitless membership gives more value for money than streaming. “The annual membership works out to be about £11 a month, which is as much you’d be paying for Netflix or Amazon, and you’re getting a fully immersive experience.”
Many cinemagoers are conscious that cinemas could be under threat as attendance declines. Cineworld closed 11 UK cinemas in 2024, and a 2025 survey showed almost a third of UK independent cinemas are at risk.
“You can see how hard cinemas were hit after Covid,” says Kate. “There’s an obvious lack of investment in my local cinema. A lot of seats are broken and there’s an entire screen out of action. It’s worrying to see because I wonder about the future of the cinema, so I try to go as much as I can.”
“The cinema is really valuable,” says Alex. “I try to encourage as many of my friends to go as possible.”