The magic of going to the theatre isn’t about the movie. It’s about watching it with strangers

People feature gathered to watch over movies at the Rio Theatre in george vancouver since 1938. 

For some of those living nearby, watching a picture show from 1 of the Rio's 420 luxe red seats is part of their regular routine, says the theatre's senior programmer, Rachel Fox. But theatre attendance never recovered after the pandemic — not just at the Rio, but at cinemas worldwide — so if people love movies and want to keep seeing them in person, Fox says they need to keep showing up.   

"We did see that during COVID a lot; the restaurant and bar industry said, 'If you don't patronize us, we're going to go,' and people heeded that call," Fox told The Current in a recent interview.  "And they participated."

Fox has worked at Rio Theatre for nearly 15 years, and she also does the programming for the Park Theatre, an art deco-style icon that opened in 1941. She says she's happy knowing these historic theatres are an important part of the community — and she's calling on people to support them, and theatres in general, in the same way they did local restaurants.

In 2025, box office revenue for all theatrical releases in Canada dropped to $837 million, 17 per cent lower than 2019 figures, according to Telefilm. Data from the Crown corporation show that before the pandemic, box office revenue regularly hit $1 billion. But 2025 marked the third consecutive year of revenues stalling between $800 million and $900 million.

The reasons for that are complex and extend beyond the pandemic. Inflation certainly hasn't helped, though historically, people have still gone to the movies for a momentary escape during hard times. And movie industry experts say the popularity of streaming services and short theatrical windows — the three-week theatrical release given to Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, for example, before it hit Netflix — are hurting ticket sales.

In Canada, 76 per cent of Canadian households subscribe to at least one streaming service, according to industry publication Media Technology Monitor’s Fall 2024 Sneak Peek and Adoption report. 

Fox says part of the joy of watching movies in theatres is the irreplaceable connection people experience with others. And she encourages others to embrace it.  

Some movie theatres are exploring how to re-engage audiences with novel collaborations.

This winter, Netflix partnered with North American movie theatres to screen the finale for the last season of the show Stranger Things.

Finn Wolfhard, who starred as Mike on the show, was born in Vancouver and was one of the investors who helped save Park Theatre from closing in October 2025. He attended the New Year's Eve screening of the show's finale at the Vancouver theatre, alongside hundreds of fans. 

Fox said it was movie magic.

"They turned what could have just been people sitting at home watching Netflix into a pop culture phenomenon," she said.

Movie theatres and studios are always looking at how to make going to the movies feel more like a tourist experience, says Toronto Metropolitan University sociology professor Paul Moore.

"The future of moviegoing socially means focusing on the kinds of experiences that can't be reproduced at home," said Moore, whose research looks at how leisure activities — like a trip to your local cinema — can shape communities.    

So theatres and studios look for trends and ways to enhance the experience for audiences. For example, you'll find large display posters in movie lobbies — strategically positioned for the perfect selfie — and souvenirs, like cups and popcorn buckets, are marketed to make the outing more memorable.

On the technical side, some theatres have features like 3D glasses, iMax screens and motion-enabled seats that synchronize with the action onscreen.

Moore argues that, unlike live sports, movies have to make up for the fact that they're recorded by being immersive. 

That's why the crowd itself is so critical to the movie's experience, he says.

"There's a thrill of seeing a movie in a sold-out theatre with a crowd of people who are anticipating it."

People like Eric Marchen say that watching a movie in the theatre is akin to watching live sports, but it's closer to the experience of going to church in terms of the shared sense of experience.

"I think comedies and horror are the best examples of reacting to something and somebody else has a similar reaction," said Marchen, the film critic and host of Rogers TV's Cinema Seen and The Untitled Movie Podcast. "Sharing a laugh or a gasp in the dark, you can't replace that."

And that connection can amplify at big blockbusters, he said, by attending midnight screenings or showing up in costumes.

The thrill might also come from the venue itself, he said, recalling seeing movies at the Royal Alexandra Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival. The theatre is one of several in the city that's more than a century old.

There are also venues like the Patricia Theatre in Powell River, B.C., which is Canada's oldest continuously operating movie theatre, and the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alta., the oldest purpose-built movie theatre in the country.

Going to the movies gives people a chance to escape reality, but it's also an opportunity for self-reflection and connection, Moore said.

"Losing yourself in the arts is not just escapism as distraction, it's a form of reflection and thoughtfulness," he said.

Fox encourages more people to embrace the range of feelings that come with the emotional roller-coaster of watching a movie in a packed theatre. That rush of joy can be especially helpful at times when it feels like "the world is on fire."

"Go into a dark space, get drawn like a moth to the flame to whatever's going onscreen — and disappear in a great story we feel together."

Rachel Fox interview produced by Meli Gumus

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