**BREAKING**

Theatrical has made an admirable recovery from the pandemic. Box office grosses are up, though they have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. That’s because a sizable number of people have stopped going to the theaters.

In a first-of-its-kind study done in partnership between The Quorum, Cultique and Fanthropology, over 2,500 pre-pandemic theater-goers were polled to see if they have returned to the big screen or not. As this study will show, three driving factors have kept former theater-goers from returning: concerns over safety, price sensitivity, and the feeling that going to the theater doesn’t provide a great experience. 

Theatrical is at a crossroads. Just as the studios are re-evaluating their marketing and distribution strategies in the wake of the disruption caused by the pandemic, theaters need to do the same. 

The good news is that 70% of all respondents, including those who aren’t currently going to the movies, would be upset if theaters went away. At the same time, it is clear from the data that going to the theater needs to provide greater value if exhibition hopes to win fans back. 

The clock is ticking. The longer exhibition takes to address these issues, the more likely it is that non-theater-going behavior will be set. 

This survey was powered by the Pollfish platform.

Click here to download the study.