What was once a special experience to watch a movie on a big screen is now fading away due to a decline in profits and an increase in streaming services. With fewer movies being made for the big screen, movie theaters are losing relevance to streaming services, ultimately encouraging people to purchase subscriptions rather than go to theaters.
On Dec. 5, Netflix bought Warner Bro Studios, according to USA Today. This deal entails that movies from WBS could stream on Netflix, rather than be shown in theaters.
To keep theaters busy, the public must continue to buy tickets for showings. Going to a movie theater is not just an activity. It is an experience. To drive to the theater with excitement, to purchase concessions, to sit in a large seat and to experience a sense of community.
Movie theaters are a place where people go to relate with one another, on screen and off. Whether it is to watch a movie and cry, to laugh or feel fear, the immersive experience of watching a movie at a theater can not be replicated when watching at home.
Although it may seem more convenient to watch movies from a portable device or a TV, the rise of streaming services is killing movie theater companies and culture, limiting superior movie-watching experiences. In 2025 alone, the North American box office lost $8.6 billion, compared to the 2024 season, according to Statista.
Recently, the movie “The Black Swan” was rereleased in theaters, following its 15th anniversary. Despite it being one of my favorite movies, I had only ever watched it at home on my TV. Upon hearing the news, I was filled with anticipation.
As I sat in a reclined lazy boy chair at Sunnyvale AMC, I anxiously waited for the movie to begin. Upon taking in the opening ballet dance, sheer excitement and awe flooded me, an experience I will never forget.
In contrast to my 50-by-70-inch TV screen, theater screens often range between 50 to 70 feet tall and wide, creating an immersive experience. When I go to the theater, I can see the movie that the directors and actors intend to create, with every microscopic detail, from color grading to makeup and special effects.
As I watched “The Black Swan,” my eyes were immediately drawn to the captivating dance scenes that felt small on my TV, but were impactful on the big screen. Oftentimes, when I watch a movie on my couch, my eyes drift away from the screen, or I am sidetracked by my phone, detracting from the attention I need to absorb the themes and visuals of a film.
What adds to such an amazing experience at movie theaters is the variety of ways to watch a film. During the summer, I watched “F1: The Movie” in 4D. The movie began, and my seat immediately began to shake, imitating the racecar onscreen. Every time the characters would accelerate in the car, my seat would quickly recline.
I had gone to the theaters before to watch movies in 3D, but I had never experienced such engagement while watching a movie. It was an out-of-body experience to physically feel each scene, something I certainly would not have been able to do at home.
As Nicole Kidman says in her famous AMC monologue, “When the lights begin to dim. And we go somewhere we’ve never been before; not just entertained, but somehow reborn. Together.” We, as a society, are brought together in theaters to experience the art of cinema. We must keep the privilege of going to a movie theater alive.
