The movie theater comeback has a new hero: Christopher Nolan

• Movie theaters are on a comeback tour.
• Gen Z and millennials are driving ticket sales, seeing an average of seven films a year.
• AMC’s CEO said “The Odyssey” had the highest first-day ticket sales of any studio release since 2022.

“For Gen Z, it is a form of social gathering. For Millennials, it is an escape from daily routine,” the report said.

AMC has seen the boost firsthand. On Monday, the company said more than 25 million people attended its theaters in May, marking the highest May attendance since 2019.

“These immensely satisfying results reflect the strength of a diverse film slate, one that was driven both by established blockbusters with their well-known characters along with entirely new IP,” Aron said in a press release. “This current measure of success, combined with the many compelling movies coming to our screens in the weeks and months ahead, gives us great confidence as we look to the rest of 2026.”