Ahead of CinemaCon, Fandango released its most recent Moviegoing Trends & Insights Study, which provides a data-rich look into how moviegoers’ habits are changing and has implications for everyone, including cord cutters.
Fandango separated the results of its survey of more than 5,000 individuals who purchased at least one movie ticket in 2024 into two categories: “Loyal Moviegoers,” or those who saw five or more films in theaters, and “Casual Moviegoers,” or those who saw fewer than four. The study sheds light on how viewers find, enjoy, and improve their movie experiences.
Movie discovery is being dominated by social media channels. 59% of those surveyed claimed to have first learned about movies through social media, with TV advertisements coming in second at 54%. Even if trailers and clips continue to be the most powerful media, Gen Z audiences are increasingly turning to memes, fan theories, and TikTok-style debriefs to become excited about new releases.
That’s a big lesson for both streaming services and studios. Online-first content is now crucial to audience engagement, not just a nice-to-have.
Although they still enjoy watching movies on a large screen, moviegoers are now looking for better options. 77% of moviegoers preferred formats like IMAX, RealD 3D, and Dolby Cinema, with interest in RealD 3D increasing by 16% year over year. Pre-purchasing tickets online is far more common among loyal moviegoers (65%) than casual moviegoers (49%), indicating an increasing comfort level with digital platforms even in conventional settings.
Another obvious conclusion is that benefits count. Loyalty programs that provide genuine value inspire both casual and devoted audiences, whether through freebies, early ticket access, or premium upgrades. Many streaming subscription bundles already use this idea.
The Worlds of Theater and Streaming Keep Blending
The study’s conclusion that there is an increasing need for alternative programming in theaters may be the most pertinent to cord cutters. Eighty percent of moviegoers stated that they would be open to viewing athletic events on a large screen. This figure rises to 86% among devoted moviegoers. Particularly in genres like comedy, action, and horror, TV premieres and finales are becoming more and more popular for theater screenings.
This overlap demonstrates the ongoing blurring of the boundaries between streaming and theatrical entertainment and raises the possibility that streamers may discover further ways to expand their intellectual property to large screens (and vice versa).
2025’s Top 10 Most Anticipated Summer Films
With popular IPs and well-known franchises at the forefront, summer is looking to be a huge season. These were the most anticipated summertime flicks, according to a separate February survey conducted by Fandango among 3,000 moviegoers:
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Superman
Thunderbolts
From The World of John Wick: Ballerina
28 Years Later
How to Train Your Dragon
Lilo & Stitch
Freakier Friday
It’s evident that people are still going to the movies that promise familiar worlds and high stakes because sequels, reboots, and shared-universe tie-ins dominate the list.
The message is clear for streamers and on-demand viewers: both home screens and movie theaters have a need for convenient, affordable, and high-quality storytelling. Streamers may wish to learn from the movie theater industry and provide more customizable, bundled, or immersive experiences as loyalty programs develop, internet ticketing grows, and premium bundles gain traction.
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