Movie Times Draw Gen Z Back to Cinemas as Letterboxd Generation Grows
Young moviegoers are filling art houses and repertory screenings, and a Nebula series is bringing its fans to cinemas. Here is what is driving the trend behind the search for movie times.
Searches for "movie times" are climbing as young audiences return to cinemas in larger numbers, drawn to repertory screenings, indie theaters and fan-driven premieres. The trend has reshaped how some younger viewers spend a night out, and the film industry is taking notice.
A new generation of cinephiles
The New York Times profiled Gregory Santana, a 26-year-old Bronx resident who works in the automotive industry. He grew up going to the movies with his family, mostly to superhero films, but now seeks out older titles. He said the film-tracking site Letterboxd led him toward classic cinema, and on one evening he watched a double feature of "The Godfather" and "The Conversation" at Film Forum in Manhattan.
Santana is part of a wider group of young people that the industry has begun calling the "Letterboxd Generation," after the site, which has more than 30 million users, most of them under 35. The New York Times reported that these viewers are selling out silent film series and obscure foreign titles, and buying memberships at independent cinemas across the country.
The paper also linked the trend to a strong 2026 box office season, helped in part by youth-led horror hits such as "Obsession" and "Backrooms."
Why analysts say audiences are returning
Paul Dergarabedian, head analyst of marketplace trends at the box-office data service Rentrak, said the industry had worried that young viewers might be lost to smaller screens. He said younger audiences seem drawn to handmade and tactile experiences, and that going to the movies is one of them.
He expects the momentum to grow. "The whole idea of moviegoing has become so cool," he said.
Fan events add to the pull
The trend is also visible in event screenings. Variety reported that "Jet Lag: The Game," an original series from the independent streaming service Nebula, will return to theaters for the premiere of its Season 20, "Hide + Seek: Italy." The 90-minute event is set to screen on December 5 across more than 160 screens in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, in partnership with Regal, Picturehouse, Cineworld and Landmark Cinemas.
Tickets went on sale on November 5. Variety said the event is the largest international theatrical release for the series so far. Select theaters will also run an on-screen trivia experience before the screening.
Nebula founder Dave Wiskus said the show's community is the reason for the event. Regal's senior vice president of U.S. content, Brooks LeBoeuf, said the earlier Season 19 event showed that an established online audience would turn up in cinemas, and that Nebula's fans had translated their enthusiasm into demand.
What we know so far
Ticket demand for the Season 20 premiere is expected to be tested when it screens on December 5. Industry figures suggest that interest in classic films and fan-led events could keep growing, though the reports offer no final attendance figures. For now, the search for movie times reflects a broader shift in how younger audiences choose to watch films.
A separate Times of Israel blog post about a Memphis movie and Jewish literary discovery also appeared in the trending material, but it contained no details to report.
Readers can check listings at their local cinemas for showtimes.
