Movie theaters in the United States and Canada saw a slight resurgence in 2025, with ticket sales reaching an estimated $8.9 billion, a 2 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to Comscore data. This modest growth occurred despite several high-profile films, including "The Smashing Machine," "Tron: Ares," and "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere," underperforming at the box office, particularly in October.

A key factor in this uptick was the rise of habitual moviegoers. Cinema United, a trade group, reported an 8 percent increase in the number of people seeing at least six films in theaters annually. The growing popularity of membership programs like AMC Stubs A-List, Regal Unlimited, Cinemark Movie Club, and the revamped MoviePass contributed significantly to this trend. These programs offer incentives and discounts, encouraging frequent visits.

"Theaters got smarter about catering to the people who still show up," a Cinema United spokesperson noted.

Beyond loyalty programs, unexpected hits also played a role. Hollywood successfully launched the "Minecraft" franchise and revived "Lilo & Stitch," both resonating strongly with audiences. Originality also showed signs of life, with "Sinners," "F1: The Movie," and "Weapons" all cracking the year's top 20 in ticket sales. This was a notable improvement from 2024, which saw no purely original movies (not based on prior works) achieve similar success. The cultural impact of these films, particularly the new franchise and the revival, drove significant audience appeal.

Industry analysts suggest that the combination of targeted loyalty programs and a diverse range of films, including both established franchises and original content, helped to stabilize the movie theater industry after several challenging years. The ability of theaters to adapt to changing consumer habits and offer compelling experiences remains crucial for their continued success.