Archive · 18 Sep 2025
Theaters Invest in Enhanced Experiences to Attract Moviegoers
Movie theaters are spending a lot of money to make going to the movies better!
They're adding bigger screens, super loud sound systems, and comfy seats.
These upgrades are attracting more people, even though ticket sales haven't fully recovered yet.
People are willing to pay extra for the upgraded experience.
Theaters hope that by offering something special, they can get more people to come back.
They believe that watching a movie on a big screen is a unique experience that can't be matched at home.
While ticket sales have declined overall, premium formats help to offset some of the decline.
Theaters are investing in upgrades to attract moviegoers.
AMC, Regal Cinemas, and Cinemark are among those investing in upgrades.
Upgraded auditoriums attract close to three times the occupancy of a regular theater.
Premium formats account for a record percentage of ticket sales.
Theaters charge an average of $5 per ticket premium for these experiences.
- Who
- Theater chains and moviegoers
- What
- Theaters are investing in upgrades to lure moviegoers back
- When
- Recent past and ongoing investments
- Where
- North America and globally
- Why
- To recover revenue lost and provide a unique experience
- Investment by Chains
- Over $1.5 billion in upgrades in the past year
- Premium Format Ticket Sales
- 14.9% of all tickets sold in U.S. and Canada this year
- Average Premium Ticket Price
- $5 per ticket
- Decline in Ticket Sales Since 2019
- 23%
- Global Screens with Enhanced Formats
- Nearly 6,000