Cinema was one of the media hardest hit by the consequences of the pandemic, seeing its audience reduced to a minimum as a result of mobility restrictions. But now, in the midst of the streaming era, it is experiencing a critical moment driven by the return of Generation Z to theaters in search of entertainment and socialization experiences that they cannot have in their homes.

Although total ticket sales remain below pre-2020 levels, the global box office is expected to reach $35 billion this year, up 7% from 2025, according to The Economist. For its part, Bloomberg reports that global ticket sales have already increased by 15% compared to the previous year and are on track for their best annual result since 2019.

This increase is found, among other things, in the release of major titles that have attracted audiences to the cinema and have become box office hits. “The Odyssey,” for example, grossed more than $1 billion globally in the first month of its release, becoming director Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing film. For its part, “Spider-Man: Breaking Dawn” surpassed $2 billion worldwide in the first three weeks after its release.

Titles such as “The Devil Wears Prada 2”, “Michael” or “Toy Story 5” have also contributed to revitalizing the medium in the first seven months of 2026. And upcoming and long-awaited releases, such as the new installments of “Dune” and “The Avengers”, scheduled for December, will reinforce global cinema figures. and they demonstrate a year marked by the consistency of successes and attendance, compared to previous years defined by specific blockbusters, such as “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022 or the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon in 2023.

Generation Z reunites with cinema

Behind this year’s great successes is Generation Z. According to The Economistalmost two-thirds of the viewers of the new “Spider-Man” film on its opening weekend were between 18 and 34 years old. But beyond the Marvel universe, other genres and titles have also excited young people, which have boosted the collection of “The Odyssey”, “Project Hail Mary” or the horror film “Obsession”.

The trend has been observed since last year. In the United States, almost 90% of Generation Z went to the movies in 2025, more than any other generation, according to data from the ticketing platform Fandango. They were seven times on average last year, compared to 6.1 times for Generation X and 5.7 times for Baby Boomers.

The resurgence of cinema transcends the borders of Hollywood: in Spain more than half of the population (53%) went to the cinema at some point, according to EGM data corresponding to the second wave of 2026. The figure is significantly higher than the 44% who reported the same in the same period of 2023.

Cinema penetration exceeded 14% among young people aged 14 to 19 and approached 13% among people aged 20 to 24, according to the second installment of this year’s EGM. The figures have doubled when compared to the data recorded by the AIMC three years earlier, which reflects, on the one hand, the recovery of the environment; and on the other, the traction it has gained among young viewers.

Experts point to social networks as one of the driving elements of this recovery. And these channels, considered at some point as the cause, precisely, of the decline of cinema, have become the main way for young users to discover new films, as well as spaces to gather fans and communities around premieres.

Social networks also generate FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), that is, the fear of missing out on current events, and generate expectation about the titles that arrive in theaters, pushing users to go to theaters and thus be able to take part in the social conversation. Likewise, other platforms, such as Letterboxd, which allows moviegoers to register films and write reviews, have also contributed to revitalizing interest in the film industry, especially among younger people: the application claims to have nearly 30 million users globally and that the most active group is between 18 and 24 years old, followed by the 25 to 35 year old group.

Cinema: experiential meeting point

Members of Generation Z are also finding in cinema the offline experiences they seek to get away from social networks and connect authentically with other people. This demographic group is rediscovering cinema as a meeting point after a few years in which they were deprived of face-to-face meetings with friends or family.

In this sense, many young people understand going to the cinema as a group outing with friends and give it a special “social event” character. This translates, among other things, into an increase in additional expenses at the entrance to the room, such as snacks, special seats, the special edition popcorn makers popularized in recent years or other merchandising items. All this is reflected in advantages for exhibition companies: according to The Economistthe AMC cinema chain in the United States reported that revenue per viewer was 44% higher in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same quarter in 2019.

In addition, young people, and the general public, are also attracted to the new experiences enabled by technologies and new formats. such as ScreenX, which offers 270-degree viewing by expanding the center screen to the side walls of the room; or 4DX, which combines screen images with moving seats and real environmental effects. According to the specialized media Varietybox office receipts from 4DX and ScreenX theaters increased 47% in North America during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

The data show a moment of revitalization of the medium whose impact could go far beyond the cinema screen. Studios could see this year’s successes as an incentive to give the green light to new projects and explore new stories; while exhibiting companies could opt for the creation of new rooms or the incorporation of new formats and products to continue attracting audiences.

For their part, brands could consider the presence of cinema in their marketing and communication strategies to impact younger consumers. Advertising investment in the medium has accompanied the recovery of the audience. And, according to the InfoAdex report, in 2025, cinema received 25 million euros, compared to 12.5 million in 2021.

This scenario of cinema’s resurgence does not mean that the industry must rely solely on “blockbusters” to ensure its future, but rather that it must know how to find and enhance those elements that make going to the cinema a different experience than what users can find in competing media, such as television or streaming. That is, providing the public with something worth seeing, feeling and sharing.