Rabat — Gen Z was supposed to kill the movie theater.

With Netflix, TikTok, YouTube, and entire entertainment libraries available from a phone, younger viewers appeared to have little reason to buy a ticket and sit through a two-hour film in a crowded cinema.

Instead, new research suggests they are increasingly choosing the big screen.

Cinema United reported that Gen Z moviegoing frequency in the United States increased by 25% over the previous year, the largest rise among any age group.

Gen Z moviegoers averaged 6.1 cinema visits during the year, up from 4.9. The share attending at least six times annually also reached 41%, compared with 31% in 2022.

The numbers point to something more interesting than a simple rejection of streaming. Young audiences appear to be redefining what makes a trip to the cinema worthwhile.

Gen Z wants more than a movie

For a generation accustomed to watching almost anything anywhere, the attraction of cinema increasingly lies in what cannot easily be recreated at home.

Cinema United’s research showed that immersive experiences ranked among Gen Z’s strongest motivations for visiting theaters. Premium large-format screens, upgraded seating, and expanded food and drink options also ranked highly.

Research from the British Film Institute offers a similar picture.

Its 2025 “Audience Screen Engagement Tracker,” conducted with YouGov, found that young adults were more likely than the general adult population to describe cinema as a social outing and an opportunity to connect with friends and family.

The study also found that only 14% of young adults wanted cinemas to become more tolerant of behaviors such as talking or smartphone use during screenings.

That finding complicates the stereotype of an endlessly distracted generation.

The same young people accustomed to scrolling between short videos appear to value the cinema precisely because it demands attention. The darkness, giant screen, collective reactions, and absence of constant interruption become part of the product.

Going to the movies is no longer simply about accessing a film. It is increasingly about participating in an event.

Morocco’s cinemas are coming back too

Morocco is experiencing its own big-screen recovery, although available national figures do not establish that Gen Z is specifically responsible for the increase.

Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication reported that cinema attendance reached 2.2 million visits in 2024, rising from 1.7 million in 2023.

Ticket revenues simultaneously climbed from MAD 89 million ($9,5) in 2023 to MAD 127 million ($13 million) in 2024. The ministry linked the increase partly to new cinema openings across different regions and greater competition within the sector.

Morocco has also made younger audiences central to its strategy for rebuilding moviegoing culture.

In March 2024, the government launched the first 50 venues in a wider project to establish 150 cinema halls across the Kingdom’s 12 regions.

The initiative particularly targets small and medium-sized cities, where access to theatrical releases has historically been more limited.

Youth are explicitly among the project’s intended beneficiaries. The initiative seeks to democratize cinema access, encourage Moroccans to return to the big screen, and give young people across the country greater access to films and filmmakers.

The ministry has also introduced reduced-price tickets for young people through partnerships with cinemas in major cities.

Morocco further expanded its national “Youth Pass” across the country in 2025. The program targets people aged 16 to 30 and offers benefits covering cultural activities alongside transport, sports, and other services.

Streaming did not end the big screen

None of this means streaming is disappearing.

Gen Z remains deeply connected to phones, subscription platforms, and short-form video. Cinema now competes for attention in a way it never did during earlier generations.

Yet that competition may also be changing what theaters represent.

When almost every form of entertainment is available alone and on demand, watching something collectively can feel distinctive again.