More people are going to movie theaters — in their homes
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Project requests for home theater installations soared 562% in 2024, Yelp reports, as homeowners splurge on features that rival their local cinema.
Why it matters: The summer's hottest movie screenings might be in your — or your neighbor's — bonus room.
What we're hearing: Paying to sit in a musty theater isn't as appealing as staying home, where amenities and snacks can be customized to personal preferences.
Zoom in: "We're seeing growing interest in everything from full-scale theater renovations" to budget-friendly additions like blackout curtains, Yelp trend expert Tara Lewis tells Axios.
- Super-hosts can bring in pros to build custom snack stations, install the latest sound systems or curate plush decor.
Between the lines: Theater chains have struggled to rebound from the pandemic, despite investing in new projectors, seats, bars and more.
- Most suburban megaplexes "feel like relics of a bygone era," actor and showrunner Danny McBride recently told The Hollywood Reporter.
The intrigue: Movie rooms aren't the only home entertainment spaces making a comeback.
- Searches for Lego rooms, billiard rooms and video game rooms jumped double digits on Houzz, a home design site, earlier this year compared to last.
The big picture: Lately, more people want to upgrade their current house instead of buying a new one, builders say.
- Americans spent an estimated $603 billion last year on home remodeling, far above pre-pandemic levels, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.
But roller-coaster tariffs threaten to make everything from construction to flat-screen TVs costlier.
- Walmart and several other businesses plan to raise prices. Some items may vanish from store shelves entirely.
What we're watching: That dream renovation might have to wait.
- 71% of homeowners say they've delayed a project this year, blaming inflation, economic uncertainty, high interest rates and job concerns, per a survey by Angi, formerly Angie's List.
