In the US, 66% of Adults Prefer Streaming Movies to Watching Them in Theaters; Which Streamers Are Best for Movie Lovers?
Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, viewers are simply not flocking back to theaters the way studios want.
The theatrical box office has still not recovered from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year was the first time since 2014 (other than the pandemic years) that Disney did not have a single film pass the $1 billion mark at the box office, but the biggest warning signs for cinema proprietors are coming from a new study performed by HarrisX on behalf of IndieWire. This survey shows that only 34% of adults in the United States prefer to watch movies in theaters, meaning that two-thirds would rather stream them from the comforts of their own homes.
- Nearly 50% of respondents said that they stream a movie weekly, seven times as frequently as those who watch in theaters.
- Ticket costs and the comfort of viewing at home were the most popular reasons for why audiences preferred streaming to theaters.
- Prime Video, Peacock, and Disney+ are some of the top movie streaming services available.
The HarrisX survey polled more than 1,000 U.S. adults, and its numbers show that the woes of theater owners are not exaggerated. Almost half of the respondents indicated that they stream a movie at least once per week, and 30% said that they streamed two or more in that time frame. That’s the same percentage of viewers who say they go to a movie in theaters only a few times per year.
Consumers who said that they preferred streaming to theatrical trips were most often turned off by the price of going to cinemas to see movies. Fifty-three percent of this segment listed ticket prices as a major reason for skipping films in theaters, and 40% said that the comfort of being able to watch movies at home versus going out to do so was a big deal for them.
“The competition continues between streaming services and the Hollywood engine. While we still see evidence of loyal movie-goers in recent box office numbers, our study shows that two in three movie watchers prefer to stream movies at home,” HarrisX VP Alli Brady told IndieWire. “Despite this causing some upheaval for the industry, it also means that the demand for content is only increasing – nearly half of consumers say they stream movies weekly, more than seven times as frequently as those who do so in theaters.”
The poll has more dire warnings for theater chains than it does for studios. There’s no doubt that major production houses like Disney and Warner Bros. are missing out on ticket revenue that commonly zoomed past $1 billion in the heyday of theaters, but premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms that allow audiences to stream movies that are still in theaters have studio execs rethinking which movies constitute a flop.
Which Streaming Services Offer Best Movie Choices?
Prime Video
Amazon’s Prime Video is The Streamable’s top choice for streaming movies. A big part of the reason that Prime Video hits our top spot is because of its inventory; there are nearly 12,000 titles available to watch on the platform with a subscription. If that’s not enough, customers can also rent or buy movies that are still only available in theaters on Prime Video (like “Madame Web”), giving movie fans the flexibility to enjoy films they can’t stream anywhere else.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
Disney+
Disney+ is a fantastic choice for movie lovers not because of the volume of titles it carries, but because of the huge franchises available to stream on the service. It’s the only place to stream movies from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises on-demand with a subscription, and it carries classic Disney animation as well as movies and shorts from Pixar. Families with kids will especially love Disney+, as the streamer does not include commercials with kids movies on its ad-supported plan.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
Peacock
It may seem like a smaller platform, but Peacock offers great bang for the customer’s buck when it comes to streaming movies. Not only does Peacock serve as the first streaming destination for Universal’s animated and live-action films like “Oppenheimer” and “Despicable Me,” but it also has a deal with Lionsgate to stream that studio’s films once they leave STARZ and The Roku Channel. For only $5.99 per month, that’s a wide selection of top movies that are available to stream on Peacock.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including NFL, MLB, WWE, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, French Open, College Football and Basketball, and PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
Other Options
Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service, is always a good option for entertainment lovers searching for something to watch. Not only is its library expansive, but it releases new titles at a rate that surpasses every other platform. The reason that it did not claim a top-three spot on this list is due to its partnerships with studios. While Netflix does release its own films in theaters that quickly come to its streaming service, they are increasingly few and far between. So, the majority of its film releases will be streaming originals, meaning that Netflix is not the same type of alternative to other platforms, which can provide much faster access to films after they debut in cinemas.
Another worthy option is Paramount+, the home of the iconic Paramount Studios films. With recent major blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” there are certainly worthwhile films to stream on the service. But both of these films took months to arrive on Paramount+ following their premieres in theaters. “Maverick” took 209 days and “Dead Reckoning” arrived on Paramount+ after 197 days. So while the service certainly has other films that arrive on streaming far more quickly, having to wait over six months for the platform’s biggest titles is a detriment.
Although Apple TV+ has by far the smallest library of any major streaming service, it is investing in films, both as streaming exclusives and for the big screen. While the box office successes of recent releases “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Napoleon,” and “Argylle” varied, Apple is seeing the benefit of those films via multiple revenue streams and is investing $1 billion annually in theatrically released films. So, as the service continues to grow its library — including through licensed content for the first time — apple TV+ will likely be an increasingly important player in the streaming movie game.