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Survey Reveals Movie Theater Attendance Recovery Trends

3/12/2026

22 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A Pew Research Center survey found 53% of U.S. adults visited a movie theater in the past year.
In 2020, ticket sales plummeted 81% due to closures.
In 2025, U.S. and Canadian theaters sold 769.2 million tickets, well short of 1.6 billion in 2002.
Attendance varied by age and political affiliation: 66% of adults 18–29 attended, 39% of those 65 and older, with Democrats at 58% and Republicans at 50%.

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Story summary

A Pew Research Center survey found 53% of U.S. adults visited a movie theater in the past year.
In 2020, ticket sales plummeted 81% due to closures.
In 2025, U.S. and Canadian theaters sold 769.2 million tickets, well short of 1.6 billion in 2002.
Attendance varied by age and political affiliation: 66% of adults 18–29 attended, 39% of those 65 and older, with Democrats at 58% and Republicans at 50%.