Entertainment
Can Gen Z revive moviegoing?
Hollywood can breathe a sigh of relief: Generation Z is not only going to the movies, it’s driving box office growth.
During the pandemic, when theaters shut down and streaming became a dominant force in the media landscape, fears rose that this young cohort would shun the big screen as they matured into more engaged consumers.
However, this generation, which ranges from around 14 to 29 years old, is one of the most active moviegoing demographics and attends more films per year than some older generations, according to data from Fandango.
In 2025, members of Gen Z saw an average of seven movies in theaters — matching average viewership among millennials — while members of Generation X and baby boomers saw around six movies on average, Fandango found.
“Gen Z is driving moviegoer trends today, and I think people are shocked,” said Jason Dorsey, president and co-founder of The Center for Generational Kinetics and co-author of “Zconomy.” “They’re like, ‘Oh, Gen Z doesn’t want to leave their house.’ That’s not true. Gen Z absolutely wants to leave their house — probably more than you know.”
Gen Z accounted for nearly 40% of all movie audiences in North America in 2025, according to data from Comscore.
As teens and 20-somethings become the dominant generation at the box office, they’re also shaping the future of moviegoing — and studios and movie theaters are taking note.
“Not only are we seeing a bigger and bigger percentage of Gen Z make up our overall audience, but their frequency is increasing year over year,” Carrie Trotter, senior vice president of marketing at AMC, told CNBC. “So they have become one of the most important audiences for us, and I see that in the future, it may become the absolute most important audience for us.”
Building loyalty among Gen Z
Helping to fuel Gen Z’s affinity for the movies is the fact that it remains one of the more inexpensive forms of entertainment.
“Ticket pricing has gone up, as it does, but when you compare it to the year-over-year inflation rate, it’s on par, if not less,” said Steve Buck of EntTelligence, a movie data firm. “When you think about Gen Z, they are cost-conscious, but they’re opening up their wallet.”
Gen Zers came of age around the time of Covid, which Dorsey called a “generation-defining experience.” This cohort doesn’t know a time without social media or smartphones and is incredibly cost-conscious, having grown up in a time of great uncertainty, he said.
“Covid uprooted all of their plans,” Dorsey said. “They were going to school, going to college … everything got turned upside down and it lasted for a long period of time. So, we see them much more fiscally conscious. I’ll say it generally, like they’re really conservative with their money in general, much more thrifty than we would expect for somebody at their age.”
This has led a significant portion of Gen Z to opt for loyalty programs at movie theaters, like AMC’s A-list, Regal Unlimited and Cinemark’s Movie Club, that reward them for money spent or allow them to see multiple films a month for a subscription fee.
“Gen Z over-indexes in the AMC A-List tier, and their participation has grown triple since the pandemic,” Trotter said, noting that AMC’s program also allows customers to book tickets for other loyalty members that are part of their friend group.
“We’re trying to make it as frictionless as possible so we can encourage as much moviegoing and this social atmosphere,” she said.
At Rutgers Cinema in Piscataway, New Jersey, general manager Alex DelVecchio is keeping ticket prices low for the the students at nearby Rutgers University. Students who show a school ID pay just $5 for matinee screenings and $9.50 for all other general admissions. That’s quite a bit cheaper than the nationwide average of nearly $13.50, according to EntTelligence.
“We try to keep it as cheap as we can,” DelVecchio said.
But it’s not all about affordability. DelVecchio said he also runs promos like free slushies on Wednesdays and looks for ways to engage his predominantly college-age consumer.
For the release of Warner Bros.′ “It: Chapter One” in 2017, DelVecchio said the company put a clown in every theater, posted red balloons all over campus and had a staff member wear a yellow jacket and play with a paper boat outside to mimic iconic scenes from the movie.
“We started selling everything out,” he said. “And, then, once you get the momentum you can keep it as long as you keep playing what they want.”
While Gen Zers are selective about their spending, they are willing to shell out for experiences, particularly social activities they can do with their friends that give them an excuse to disconnect from their phones.
“This is a way for them to come and spend time with their friends and their family, and that social experience really outweighs the movie itself that they’re seeing,” Trotter said. “But also there’s a little bit of FOMO [fear of missing out], like they want to be part of the excitement and their fandom of that fuels their desire to be the first to see these movies and be part of the conversation as it’s happening.”
And while Gen Z enjoys staying off their phones during the movie, they still use social media to share their thoughts on films and see what others think of new and old titles.
Letterboxd, an online platform where moviegoers can track movies they’ve watched and post reviews, has become so ubiquitous with this generation that Hollywood has come to refer to Gen Z interchangeably as the Letterboxd generation.
The site currently has more than 29 million users, with more than half of that base under the age of 35. Through Letterboxd, Gen Z is relying more on community reviews than those of official movie critics when choosing what movies to see in theaters.
What Gen Z wants to watch
Of course, Gen Z has some genre-specific preferences, and Hollywood appears to be playing to them.
Similar to their elders, this age group often flocks to cinemas for horror films and R-rated fare. But they diverge from previous generations in their interest in anime and video game adaptations based on games they played growing up. Gen Zers have also shown a penchant for older, rereleased titles, leaning into the nostalgia of moviegoing.
In 2025, “A Minecraft Movie,” based on the popular online game, was the most attended film by Gen Z, according to data from EntTelligence. The Warner Bros. film generated more than $424 million domestically during its theatrical run, the second-highest take of the year, and tallied $960 million globally.
Meanwhile Sony and Crunchyroll’s “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle” saw the largest percentage of Gen Z in its audiences, with 42% of tickets being sold to this members of the generation.
So far in 2026, Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is the most attended film by Gen Z. It’s secured $425 million domestically, the highest-grossing film of the year so far, and $982 million globally.
Box office analysts expect films like Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” Universal’s “Minions & Monsters,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” to see a significant portion of ticket sales from Gen Z audiences.
“I think theaters have a real opening right now to be that in-person social experience for Gen Z,” Dorsey said. “It’s still fragile, the generation is still finicky, but there’s a massive opportunity for them to be able to build on the fact that they can create these wonderful in-person experiences and in a more affordable way.”
CNBC
Entertainment
Kylie Jenner would ‘say yes’ if Timothée Chalamet proposed
Kylie Jenner is reportedly in a very happy and stable phase of her relationship with actor Timothée Chalamet, according to new comments attributed to a source speaking to Entertainment Tonight (ET).
The insider described Jenner as being emotionally invested in the relationship, claiming, ‘Kylie is so in love with Timothée. She’s told Kris she would say yes if he proposed.’
According to the same source, the dynamic between the pair is grounded in ease and compatibility rather than pressure or expectation. The insider noted that Chalamet’s personality plays a key role in the relationship’s balance, saying, ‘Timothée lets Kylie be herself and likes that she can be silly with him. They feel like they’re best friends and their personalities are a perfect fit.’
The source also highlighted Chalamet’s appreciation for Jenner’s role as a mother, adding, ‘Timothée is always telling Kylie what a great mom she is and how incredible she is with her kids.’ Jenner shares two children with rapper Travis Scott.
Adding to recent public interest in the couple, Jenner and Chalamet were also recently seen on a double date with Kendall Jenner and actor Jacob Elordi. The outing further fuelled online conversation around the group’s growing closeness, with fans noting the relaxed and social dynamic between the four during the evening.
The couple, who have been publicly linked since 2023, have increasingly stepped into the spotlight in 2026, frequently appearing together at high-profile events including NBA games and awards shows. Their courtside appearances at New York Knicks playoff matches have drawn attention recently with the pair often seen being affectionate.
GN
Entertainment
Summer box office heats up as weekend ticket sales top $160M
The summer box office is off to a sizzling start — and it’s only getting started.
Over the weekend, domestic ticket sales topped $161 million, a nearly 88% improvement over the same three-day frame in 2025. Disney and 20th Century Studio’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” led the pack, adding $41.6 million during its second week, followed by Warner Bros.′ “Mortal Kombat II,” which snared $38.5 million during its opening. Lionsgate’s “Michael” brought in another $37.9 million in its third week in theaters.
The weekend was bolstered by new releases like Amazon MGM’s “The Sheep Detectives” and Paramount’s “Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” as well as holdovers from Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which is in its sixth week, and Amazon’s “Project Hail Mary,” which is in its eighth week.
Together, they made for a standout weekend at the movies as the industry chases a $10 billion annual U.S. box office.
“The second weekend in May often provides solid returns from newcomers that bridge the gap between the opening weekend of the summer and the important Memorial Weekend coming up in about 2 weeks,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore. “But the impressive long-term playability of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ and ‘Project Hail Mary’ serve as a reminder of the vital importance of holdover strength to the overall health of the industry.”
Of the top 10 performers of the weekend, seven were returning titles. Five of those films reported a drop in ticket sales of less than 50% from the prior weekend, according to data from Comscore.
For box office analysts this is an important metric. Typically, movies will see a 50% to 70% drop each weekend. When ticket sales post smaller declines week after week, it means a film is generating strong word-of-mouth buzz and new moviegoers are buying tickets — or that audiences are returning to see the film again.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” saw a 46% drop in second-week ticket sales, “Michael” declined just 30% between its second and third week in theaters, and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” saw a 45% dip from its fifth to sixth weekend. Most impressive is “Project Hail Mary,” which fell just 23% in its eighth week. Ticket sales for Neon’s “Hokum” were down 49% in its second week.
These trends bode well for the domestic box office. Through Sunday, the 2026 calendar has generated $3.02 billion, a 16% jump from the same period last year, Comscore data shows.
“From a high-level view, it’s fair to suggest escapism and ease of access may be important factors,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics at Fandango and founder of Box Office Theory. “Historically, while ticket prices have also increased over time, going to the theater remains one of the more affordable out-of-house entertainment options for individuals, couples, and families who may or may not have spring and summer vacation plans in flux due to other economic uncertainties and hardships.”
Ticket sales still lag from 2019 levels, the last true benchmark before the pandemic stymied moviegoing. At this point in the year in 2019, the box office had secured $3.8 billion domestically. However, more than $720 million of that was from the record-breaking release of Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame.”
The summer movies season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day in September, is also about to get a boost from several blockbuster titles.
Disney’s first new Star Wars theatrical release in seven years arrives in late May with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It will be followed by Pixar’s “Toy Story 5″ in June alongside Warner Bros. “Supergirl.” Then in July, Disney has the live-action “Moana,” Universal is set to release Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
“Ebbs and flows will naturally occur within the full year’s box office narrative as they always have,” Robbins said. “Momentum is as good as the most recent hit or misfire, but the bottom line right now is that the industry is enjoying something near a best-case realistic scenario with so much success on the books before the heart of a high-potential summer movie season fully arrives”
CNBC
Entertainment
Johnny Depp’s gray hair transformation was far from his signature look
When preparing to make his return to the silver screen, Johnny Depp donned new silver locks to go with it. Before the 2025 announcement that he’d been cast in a Lionsgate project, Depp had been out of the limelight for some time, with his last major motion picture being 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Afterward, Depp shifted toward smaller projects, while the public shifted its focus to his public trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard, which occurred in 2022. But a few years later, he landed lead roles in two larger films, both of which would require major physical transformations.
The actor isn’t unfamiliar with switching up his look entirely for a role in a film. Depp has been able to shift his way through various roles, from Edward Scissorhands to the Mad Hatter, taking his audience by surprise every time. But in 2025, he swapped out his typical dark brown hair for silver for the film “Day Drinker,” directed by Marc Webb. In it, Depp plays a mysterious blue-eyed, gray-haired guest onboard a private yacht who forms an unlikely connection with a bartender, played by Madelyn Cline. Depp’s look for the film is quite striking and is completed by a dyed gray beard to match his altered features. It seems that fans love Depp’s silver fox look. One took to X, writing, “Personally, I think Johnny Depp looks much better with the gray hair. He definitely should stop dying it and go au naturel.”
Ghosts of defamation trials past might always haunt Johnny Depp after his return to Hollywood

This isn’t the only major transformation Johnny Depp has signed up for. Also in 2025, it was announced that he would be starring in Ti West’s “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol” as the titular Ebenezer Scrooge. With horror guru West directing, Depp had to be prepared to take the classic Charles Dickens tale to some dark places. He also looks unrecognizable as Scrooge, donning gray hair in a completely different way than his handsome character in “Day Drinker.” With old age makeup and gray mutton chops, Depp’s transformation is certainly shocking.
Upon the release of the first-look photos of Depp on set, there were some mixed feelings about his return to the big screen. On one hand, people seemed happy that he was working again, with one commenting on an Instagram post, “Love the way Johnny can transform so incredibly.” On the other hand, it seems that many haven’t moved on from his 2022 defamation trial, with one person commenting, “Men can really abuse women without any accountability or punishment and just get right back to work.” As a reminder, the jury found that Amber Heard had defamed her ex-husband, resulting in a legal victory for Depp. It appears that the highly publicized case will continue to haunt Depp throughout his return to Hollywood, despite his win.
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