Americans love both the big and small screens, but our viewing habits have changed a lot in the past half-century. Theaters are rebuilding audiences after the pandemic, streaming is the default way to watch content, and viewers prefer subtitles and juggle multiple streaming subscriptions. Here are seven key facts that show how audiences have shaped the film and TV industry into what it is today.
7 Movie and TV Viewing Facts
1. The box office is growing again after a decline. (Source)
Theaters shut down in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and moviegoing is still recovering. Film analytics firms estimate the 2025 global box office at $33.55 billion, up from a $30 billion gross in 2024. Theaters aren’t back to their pre-pandemic earnings, but it’s clear audiences are on their way back.
2. Streaming beats out cable and broadcast combined. (Source)
Streaming has become the main way Americans watch TV. A Nielsen report from May 2026 showed that 48.6% of TV viewing was on streaming services, which was significantly more than cable (20.4%) and broadcast TV (19.2%). Streaming offers more convenience and an abundance of choice, so it’s no shock that it beats the traditional channel lineup.
3. YouTube is the biggest single platform on screens worldwide. (Source)
Believe it or not, the biggest watching platform, bigger than any movie studio. In June 2026, YouTube comprised 13.5% of total TV viewing, while Netflix captured only 7.9%. Free, independent, creator-driven videos compete with polished studio productions on the same screen.
4. Viewers are watching in more languages than ever. (Source)
Audiences welcome foreign films and television. Netflix reports found that non-English titles made up a third of all total viewing in 2025. Korean, Spanish, and Japanese titles were the most popular choices. Overall, Netflix subscribers watched over 96 billion hours of content in six months.
5. Subscribers are frustrated with price squeezes. (Source)
The plethora of choices that streaming offers comes at a high price, and viewers have noticed. Research finds that almost 75% of streaming consumers are frustrated that these services keep raising their prices. Many are adjusting by accepting subscriptions that include ads. 68% of streaming households have at least one ad-supported service.
6. Half of Americans read along with subtitles. (Source)
Subtitle use is mainstream now. A survey of 1,265 Americans found that 50% watch with subtitles most of the time. The sound mix is the biggest reason people use them. 78% say background music makes dialogue hard to hear. Gen Z are the biggest subtitle fans, with 70% saying they use them most of the time.
7. Audiences are willing to pay more for a premium screen. (Source)
Movie fans are willing to splurge on a big-screen experience. IMAX grossed a record $1.28 billion in 2025, which is up 40% from 2024 and 13% from its previous record. IMAX earned 3.8% of worldwide box office earnings. International films helped their success, with 67 non-English titles from 14 countries playing on IMAX screens.
Featured image photo credit: Pavel Danilyuk
