New study finds 2/3rds of people would rather stream a movie than hit the cinema. Are you in the majority?

Last Updated on March 19, 2024

For the majority of us, the weekends include at least one designated movie night. Whether we hit the cinema or stay home is our own choice, but according to a new study, a higher percentage of movie lovers will be kicking back on the couch. As per a study conducted by HarrisX, two-thirds of people would rather stay home to stream a movie than go out to the theater.

As the VP of HarrisX told IndieWire, “The competition continues between streaming services and the Hollywood engine. While we still see evidence of loyal movie-goers in recent box office numbers, our study shows that 2 in 3 movie watchers prefer to stream movies at home.”

While these numbers might on the surface point to knee-jerk calls of the end of the movie theater, the box office numbers we’ve seen in the post-Covid years have been fantastic for the rebound, with 2022 and 2023 seeing five $1 billion+ films combined. Those aren’t even close to the numbers we’ve seen before but if a three-hour movie about the atomic bomb is sniffing $1 billion, we have no fear about the future of cinema.

But a more telling stat is buried within the research, which also shows that those who tend to stream movies at home take in more content overall. This makes sense but the numbers show just how much they are streaming. “Despite this causing some upheaval for the industry, it also means that the demand for content is only increasing – nearly half of consumers say they stream movies weekly, more than 7x as frequently as those who do so in theaters.”

One of the key reasons people tend to stay home to stream instead of going out is movie ticket and concession prices. There, too, is the convenience of staying home: you don’t need to find a sitter, you can refill your popcorn without missing a frame and if you don’t like the moron next to you feel free to move your seat! Pretty strong arguments for Team Road House…

Generally speaking, which side are you on? Would you prefer to stay home to stream a movie or head to the cinema for the full experience? What’s the deciding factor? Let us know below!