Cinemas have always been one of the most popular outings that brought communities together to enjoy a showing of the next hit movie. However, the anticipation for movies has slowly declined over recent years due to the rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. These platforms have made movies much more accessible which allow individuals to watch their favorite movies from the comfort of their homes.

Not only do they make movies more accessible, but these streaming services also release movies extremely rapidly onto their platforms. This causes the excitement around the film to be short-lived which often causes films to not make as much profit in the long run. 

According to Netflix, they are negotiating, licensing, and distribution agreements with Warner Bros., which demonstrates that even large film and entertainment studios have now begun to rely on streaming services to gain enough profit to continue to run efficiently. Although Netflix does not own Warner Bros., this agreement will massively change the way in which movies will be filmed.

Recently, audiences have noticed that there has been a significant decline in the movie industry because newer movies often lack strong cinematic intent behind them. This is because movies are now being filmed with the purpose of watching it from a living room rather than a movie theater. Yaretzi Hernandez (12) expresses, “I have noticed that movies are often filmed with brighter lighting and seem rushed.” 

A large majority of movie fans also feel that there is often less attention to detail and a lack of creativity with the storytelling. Another important thing to note is that casting directors focus more on well-known actors rather than giving a chance to a less well-known actor. As a result, fans often feel that the actors do not quite fit their role. “I would love to see smaller actors have a chance to display their talent sometime,” explains Tara Chen (12). 

According to Variety, during 2025, studios estimate that between 15% to 20% of moviegoers have no longer attended a movie theater since the pandemic. Movie theaters have always been far more than simply entertainment because they have always been a major part of every community.

Movie theaters have always been a place where movie fans can share their excitement for the new films releasing. However, if the movie industry continues to decline due to streaming services, movie theaters will become history.