Movie Theater Icks

2023 was a blockbuster year for theaters. The U.S. domestic box office surpassed $9bn in revenue, the highest figure since the COVID-19 pandemic; Barbie, Oppenheimer, and The Super Mario Bros Movie grossed more than $900m each.

The movie craze of the year was undoubtedly 'Barbenheimer,' the phenomenon that saw theaters sell out faster than you can split an atom as fans flocked to see Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day — often doing so in costume.

But packed movie theaters often come with their fair share of obnoxious observers. The people who chew their popcorn too loudly, who shout spoilers and ruin the ending, and the cardinal sin of movie etiquette — incessant cell phone use.

With poor manners at the movies drawing headlines during 2023's summer movie theater season, we wanted to find out which habits give fans the 'ick' at the theater. To find out, CouponBirds surveyed 1,064 U.S. adults about their experiences with other customers and the behaviors they find most off-putting.

Key findings

• More than eight in 10 people (82.5%) get irritated at the movie theater by other customers.

• Constant talking (19%), disruptive children (17.5%) and cell phone use (15.7%) are the most common 'icks'.

• Two-thirds of fans (67.3%) are bored of superhero movies.

• Fans think the Star Wars (15.1%) and James Bond (11.8%) franchises have the most disruptive fans.

• Almost three-quarters (72.7%) want to see another 'Barbenheimer', where people dress up and see two hit movies with the same release date.

• Sex scenes off-putting for movie theater goers with 69% finding them uncomfortable.

Eight in 10 people irked by others at the movies

While trips to the movies have become more popular since the end of the pandemic, social media and news articles are awash with talk of poor behavior in theaters. From backlash around rowdy Swifties during the Eras Tour cinema release to rude cell phone users during the 'Barbenheimer' showings, it seems movie lovers are tired of other people's disrespect in a place of quiet.

Our survey shows that more than eight in 10 people (82.5%) get irritated at the movie theater by other viewers, and nearly nine in 10 (86.4%) believe that people behave worse now than in previous years.

Cinemark and Regal Cinema's among most triggering theater chains

Of America's major theater chains, our respondents said that Cinemark was the most triggering (18.6%), followed by Regal Cinemas (16.4%) and Cineplex (15.8%). Movie theater workers have also taken to social media to complain about etiquette, with one poster describing a horror scene of leftover popcorn and nachos after a showing.

Constant chat and unruly children among biggest movie icks

So which behaviors do movie fans find most irritating when they go to the cinema? Our respondents had a wide range of grievances, ranging from the behavior of others to the condition of the theater. However, nothing riles up fans more than people talking throughout the film (18.9%).

We've all been in showings where regular 'shhh' calls can be heard to quiet down people who won't shut up, but constant talk during a screening is a surefire way to have people dislike you. Pop star Zara Larsson came under heavy criticism from netizens in 2023 for suggesting that people complaining about those who talk during movies should "go home."

Our survey shows fans also get the ick from disruptive children who can't be kept quiet during a screening (17.5%) and constant cell phone usage (15.7%). Movie lovers took to social media during Oppenheimer's release in particular to complain about fans who constantly took photos, recorded videos, and scrolled through TikTok during its three-hour run time.

Two-thirds of people say superhero movies, remakes and sex scenes have gone too far

It is not just other theater-goers that movie fans find uncomfortable. Fans are known for their hot-takes and sharp opinions around movies, so we wanted to find out more about what makes them uncomfortable when it comes to the films they watch.

Almost seven in 10 (69.3%) said that spicy sex scenes make them hot under the collar, while 70.6% agreed that sex and violence are overused in movies today.

Two-thirds (67.3%) of people also said that superhero movies, including those from the Marvel and DC franchises, have overstayed their welcome. Fans are also bored of remakes. More than three-quarters (76.7%) said that there have been too many in recent years.

Indie theaters a popular alternative for movie fans

With a trip to the movies, there is no guarantee as to the kind of crowd you can expect. However, we asked as part of our survey questions to our cinema fans about how they avoid annoyances in the theater.

Around a quarter (25.1%) said that they would prefer to attend an upmarket or independent theater. Indie theaters, while smaller and more selective with the movies they screen, have proven to be a popular option for film aficionados in recent years.

Fans also prefer to see R-rated movies (22.3%) to avoid the kid distractions, or to choose the more expensive IMAX-only showings of popular movies as an alternative to beat the crowds.

Cheap popcorn and movie coupons will get fans back into theaters

Another alternative, according to our respondents, is to slash the prices of popcorn. 16.5% of people said they would go to the movies more often if concessions were offered at a lower price. Theaters often face criticism for the high markup prices of their drinks and popcorn, often costing more than the movie tickets themselves.

Fans would also be enticed by more flexible options with coupons for movie nights (13.7%), comfier seating (13.4%) and fewer people in the theater (12.5%).

Movie lovers think Star Wars fans are the worst-behaved

Now to the controversial part of the survey. Apologies in advance to any Star Wars, James Bond, or Scream fans. We asked our 1,064 U.S. adults which movie franchises bring out the most disruptive. The most popular choice, at 15.1%, was Star Wars.

Sections of its fanbase have proven controversial in recent years, personally attacking LucasFilm president Kathleen Kennedy and several of the franchise's actors including death threats towards Jar Jar Binks voice actor Ahmed Best. Some fans have even been violent outside of theaters because of others' behavior during screenings of 'The Rise of Skywalker.'

Our respondents also said that James Bond (11.7%), Scream (11.7%), and Jurassic Park (11.5%) fans can also be disruptive and cause poor behavior during screenings.

007 fans have long been overprotective of the franchise and the choice of actor for its lead; Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Idris Elba are among actors who have previously received boycott threats from fans amid speculation about their potential casting to play James Bond.

Movie fans want Barbenheimer 2.0

Lastly, we asked our movie fans about 2023's crossover event of the year, where Barbie and Oppenheimer fans combined to see both movies on the same day and dressed up for the occasion. More than seven in 10 (72.7%) said that they would love to see studios repeat this trend in the future, mirroring the viral crossover release of video game franchises DOOM and Animal Crossing in March 2020.

On top of this, almost three-quarters of people (74.9%) said that people dressing up adds to the movie-going experience. From Barbie fans donning pink to premieres, to Mario fans cosplaying their favorite Nintendo characters during its theatrical run, fanbases are known for their passion for supporting their beloved franchises. While there are undoubtedly toxic sides to many aspects of popular culture, a little bit more dressing up and creative flair wouldn't hurt anybody.

Methodology

Between 3/15/2024 and 3/18/2024, a total of 1,064 U.S. adults were surveyed about their movie-going habits, and the behaviors they find most off-putting during theater screenings. A total of 500 women and 560 men were interviewed, as well as three people who identified as nonbinary and one person who identified as transgender.

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