Surprising finding: Gen Alpha (kids 12 and under who've never known life without iPads) actually prefer movie theaters to streaming. A new NRG study (defining Gen Alpha as those born 2013 and later) shows 59% prefer the big screen experience over their couch, compared to just 45% of Millennials.
This goes against years of industry doom-saying about theaters becoming obsolete. While Hollywood's been scrambling to "meet kids on their devices," Gen Alpha sees theaters as an escape from their screen-saturated lives—a chance to disconnect and hang with friends IRL. Some key findings from the survey:
- 55% of Gen Alpha prefers going with large friend groups (vs. 31% of Millennials)
- Over 60% want to see new movies on opening weekend, and 44% prefer busy theaters
- 68% say spending time with friends/family is a major reason for going to movies
- 54% are interested in 3D/VR experiences in theaters
The NRG study notes:
"Unlike Millennials and older Gen Z-ers, who can still remember a time when watching movies at home meant going through the hassle of buying or renting a DVD or VHS tape, Gen Alpha is growing up in a world where on-demand is the default. For them, there's little novelty or excitement to be found in an at-home movie night. By extension, that makes the experience of physically leaving the house and going to watch a movie in theaters feel all the more special."
Netflix gets it: They just put ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ in theaters for a sing-along event that grossed $20M in two days while becoming their most-watched film ever. They're also launching Netflix House physical experiences, recognizing that streaming properties need real-world touchpoints to become cultural phenomena.
The franchise shift: The study found that Gen Alpha's top franchises are Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite—social gaming platforms that emphasize community and hands-on creation. The study predicts successful Gen Alpha films will be rooted in this digitally native IP, not Hollywood's usual properties.
The bottom line: This generation wants shared experiences worth leaving home for. If Hollywood delivers communal moments rather than just content, theaters could thrive with these young audiences.
