10/8/26
YPulse predicted that in 2026, Gen Z would help save the movie theater. And, well, what can we say? We were correct! YPulse’s Back to the Movies trend data shows the number of 13-24-year-olds who go to the theater is at its highest since 2020. With fandom fueling that renewed interest, entertainment brands and studios have been pulling out all the marketing stops to keep young viewers coming to theaters month after month. And no, we’re not just talking about the latest oversized, collectible popcorn bucket (although we’re sure the new Dune: Part Three bucket will have something to say about that). We’re talking about movie marketing that gives audiences a chance to take fandom beyond the theater, with experiences they can walk through, play, and wear.
For example, four Papa Johns locations were transformed into Toy Story’s Pizza Planet, complete with themed décor, Toy Story 5-inspired menu items, and retro arcade games to build excitement for the film’s June release. Meanwhile, the lead-up to The Devil Wears Prada 2 couldn’t have been more perfect, as countless fashion collabs were released—fitting for a film centered on the fashion industry. But as we’ve said before, Gen Z is not a monolith, and not every movie marketing tactic will resonate with every young viewer. Some may be more excited to stumble on a movie-themed installation on the street, while others would rather wear the movie through clothing collabs that let them rep their most recent watch.
In YPulse’s Back to the Movies trend survey, we ask 13-39-year-olds about some of the biggest movie marketing events, installations, and tools we’ve seen over the past year, from physical recreations of film locations to video game activations, and how interested they are in each. Our data shows Gen Z is interested in all kinds of movie marketing experiences, though that interest can vary by age:
| Teens (13–17) | Young Adults (18–24) | |
|---|---|---|
| Walking through a physical recreation of an iconic movie scene or location | 77% | 67% |
| Attending an immersive / interactive movie-themed space | 73% | 65% |
| Playing a themed video game about the movie | 67% | 65% |
| Interacting with a movie themed installation on the street | 67% | 64% |
| Attending a movie pop-up event built for taking themed photos and sharing on social media | 65% | 53% |
| Shopping a limited-edition product collab between a brand and a movie | 55% | 55% |
Q. Z230. Are you interested in participating in the following types of movie marketing events and installations?
Source: YPulse’s Back to the Movies trend survey | Jul. 30–Aug. 5, 2026 | Base: 13-39-year-olds | Nationally representative sample of 1,500 13-39-year-olds in the U.S. & Canada
View the Back to the Movies Trend Report and Data File ›
Gen Z consumers, teens especially, are interested in experiential marketing that lets them explore worlds and storylines from the screen. YPulse’s Back to the Movies trend data shows 77% of teens (13-17) and 67% of young adults (18-24) are interested in walking through a physical recreation of an iconic movie scene or location. That builds on something YPulse has explored before: young consumers’ enthusiasm for visiting real-life filming locations! YPulse’s Travel data shows 26% of 13-24-year-olds have visited a place where a movie or TV show was filmed, while another 33% are interested in doing so. But brands and studios don’t have to wait for fans to travel to a filming destination to bring that excitement to life. Take Sony and Little Caesars’ recreation of Peter Parker’s apartment for the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Attendees could search the space for Easter eggs, including a letter to MJ (like the one from the movie!) and a missed call from Dr. Banner’s assistant. Part of the appeal is discovering all the little details that might otherwise go unnoticed on screen, and a movie set recreated in an accessible, real-world space gives fans that same sense of discovery as visiting a real filming location, with a few more reasons to fall deeper into the story.
The majority of teens (73%) and young adults (65%) are also interested in attending an immersive or interactive movie-themed space. And while these spaces may not be one-to-one replicas, they often include challenges, games, and activities that make them interactive beyond a photo op. Netflix has leaned into this with Netflix Houses, IRL spaces built around its biggest hits like Stranger Things and Wednesday (up next: a KPop Demon Hunters experience), where visitors can play mini golf, try VR games, eat from themed menus, and, of course, shop for merch. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is touring Harry Potter: The Exhibition, a large-scale, interactive traveling museum experience celebrating the entire Wizarding World, in honor of the first film’s 25th anniversary. And HBO Max hosted a Back to Hogwarts event in London, a one-day fan event with interactive moments and giveaways inspired by the new series.
The excitement around a movie doesn’t have to stop at the big screen. YPulse’s Back to the Movies trend data shows 66% of 13-24-year-olds are interested in playing a themed video game about a movie, and that’s even higher among teen boys (79%). That may not come as a surprise given how big gaming is among Gen Z, but there’s another reason movie-themed games could be a hit: Gen Z is welcoming brands into their favorite worlds. As we’ve said before, Gen Z is comfortable with brands showing up in video games, and many actually want them there. YPulse’s Gaming Marketing Playbook trend data shows 49% of 13-24-year-olds agree, “All brands should get involved in video games.”
Brands don’t necessarily have to build an entirely new game based on a movie to make that happen, though. To promote the upcoming The Cat in the Hat film, Warner Bros. brought the familiar feline into Roblox, integrating themed experiences into existing games like +1 Speed Keyboard Escape, +1 Kitten Keyboard Escape, and Dreamville. That aligns with what many young players want: 57% of 13-24-year-olds want brands to add an experience or product to an existing game. But there’s an audience for standalone experiences, too: 53% of 13-24-year-olds would visit a brand’s virtual world that’s not already in a game they play. Ahead of Robert Eggers’ upcoming horror film Werwulf, Focus Features launched an alternate reality game that invites fans to solve a new puzzle every full moon from September to November for a chance to win a prize. Meanwhile, Paramount and Legendary took a different approach to promoting Street Fighter, turning a trailer into a playable experience called Street Fighter: Combo Challenge.
Ultimately, these gaming tie-ins could be a good way to get young audiences interested in movies before they ever make it to the theater. After all, the relationship between gaming and entertainment goes both ways: YPulse’s Gaming data shows 35% of 13-24-year-old video game players say playing video games has influenced the movies and TV shows they watch. But what starts as promo can also keep a movie alive after the credits roll, giving fans a reason to keep playing (pun intended) in its world long after they’ve left the theater.