Turns out Backrooms and Obsession are saving cinema.
Young moviegoers are breathing new life into independent cinemas across the United States, according to a first-of-its-kind survey from Art House Convergence.
The study found that independent theatres saw a 9 per cent increase in business during 2025, with an overwhelming 68 per cent of attendees under the age of 45.
Grosses have climbed 38 per cent since 2019, signalling a robust post-pandemic recovery for art-house venues.
The survey, which polled 27,000 moviegoers about their habits and preferences, comes as independent cinemas face persistent challenges including shortened theatrical windows and media consolidation.
Yet audiences continue to rally behind local theatres, with several venues reporting their strongest box office performance since 2019.
The trend mirrors a similar resurgence in the UK, where Gen Z attendance jumped 25 per cent last year, fuelled by films like A Minecraft Movie and Five Nights At Freddy’s 2.
The industry’s upward trajectory follows years of pandemic disruption, making 2025 the strongest year for UK box office since COVID-19.
