Where We Don’t Scroll: Why Movie Theaters Still Matter (Despite What Netflix CEO Says)
In what spaces or places do we not instinctively, addictively, or habitually reach for our smartphones? I count five — now six:
Dentist chairs
Graveside burials
The Masters golf tournament
Movie theaters
Airplane flight takeoffs (at least for now)
And now, in New York State public schools. (Bravo, Governor Kathy Hochul.)
These are sacred, anxious, or socially enforced “downtime zones” — places where we’re either physically restrained, emotionally present, or culturally pressured to not look away. That’s rare now. And valuable.
This idea resurfaced as I read Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently declare, “The traditional theater experience is outdated for most, and audiences have made clear they’d rather watch films at home.” (MovieMaker)
His reasons:
Rigid release windows (e.g., a 45-day delay between theatrical and streaming availability)
Dramatic shift of consumer behavior toward home viewing
Walkability and convenience (e.g., NYC vs. suburban sprawl).
Netflix, of course, opts for “bespoke” releases — a few in theaters for prestige, some with short runs for Oscar eligibility, and the vast majority premiering directly to its 300 million subscribers.
Personally, I’m a reluctant Netflix subscriber. It’s like going to Golden Corral’s endless buffet, with nothing you’re truly excited to eat — but at least they have the old reliable mac and cheese (i.e, Arrested Development, Gilmore Girls, and Seinfeld).
Sarandos is right about one thing: the audience decides. If people consistently choose home viewing over “sitting in the dark with strangers,” the market will follow — and traditional theaters will continue to shrink.
Audiences — not auteurs — determine the future of cinema.
I disagree with Rick Rubin’s provocative statement that “the audience comes last” in art. He can say that. Icons get to. But most creators can’t afford to ignore the audience — and for too long, the audience has been treated like an afterthought across nearly every creative industry.
Previously on Substack, I’ve argued that movie theaters face structural and behavioral headwinds that many in the industry still underestimate. I assume the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) recognizes this — and is trying to adapt.
But the truth is: habits, not price or even product, are killing theaters.
A movie ticket might cost $15. But the real ask is far bigger:
First, you must discover a film you want to see
Then clear your calendar
Next, arrange childcare, dinner, parking, and logistics
Now arrive early, watch 25 minutes of ads and trailers
And perhaps most radical — DON’T touch your phone for two hours.
That’s the uphill battle. We’ve trained ourselves to check our devices every six minutes. Theaters ask us to pause that impulse — and that’s both their biggest challenge and — maybe — their greatest opportunity.
Movies aren’t just competing against other movies; they’re competing against YouTube, the NBA playoffs, The Bachelor, the kid’s soccer practice, and 995 other options in a crowded attention economy.
So if NATO, studios, and filmmakers want to preserve theaters, they must go beyond marketing the what (the movie) and start marketing the why (the experience)— why leave the house, why it matters, and what you’ll get that you can’t get at home.
So … a few things that may be worth mentioning:
Movie theaters get us out of the house.
That alone is powerful. In a screen-saturated, sectional-sofa culture, “going out” is now a premium experience. Even though we are seeing a “homebody revolution.”Every movie must be an event.
Think: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour doc, The Chosen, A Minecraft Movie, Oppenheimer opening weekend. Eventizing means building anticipation, creating cultural FOMO, and giving people a reason to show up now — not in six weeks on streaming.One-night-only releases create urgency and shared experiences.
A few of us launched a record-breaking one-night-only theatrical event that became the model for what is now a common release strategy. Because it works: compress your core audience, create communities of loyal and passionate likeminded fans, and drive downstream momentum. Theaters need to think more like live venues.Reimagine theaters as live entertainment experience centers.
More post-film talkbacks … live music … pop-up restaurants … mini-festivals. They already have the space. Add value to the ticket by offering something extra.Utilize empty inventory creatively.
Most theaters are empty from Monday to Thursday. (I was told that 80% of the inventory — seats — go unused each week). Why not repurpose that time and space for creative communities and makers, including podcast tapings, TED-style talks, even remote work spaces that encourage creative focus — offering wifi, coffee, and ambient sound and images. I bet I could write ten Substack essays listening to Hans Zimmer’s Intersteller score set to flyovers of Ireland countryside. Just sayin’.More specialty partnerships with niche communities.
Fans will show up if you invite them the right way. Anime fans, faith audiences, film students, comic book collectors — they all crave in-person connection. Theaters should be conveners, not just content distributors.
At their best, theaters aren’t just showing movies. They’re selling presence, immersion, connection, and memory. If they want to survive, they must stop chasing streaming’s convenience — and instead double down on what streaming can never offer: sacred space, cultural epicenters, and a reason to gladly put your phone away.
