First-class seats are coming to a theater near you

For today’s moviegoers, it seems, overpriced popcorn and musty seats just won’t cut it. 

• Movie theater attendance is down 55% compared to prepandemic highs, and box office sales have failed to rebound, with US cinemas pulling in ~$8.6B in 2025, short of analyst expectations and far below 2019’s $11.4B haul, per Axios.
• Meanwhile, streaming and straight-to-streaming releases have made at-home viewing convenient and cheap, and moviegoing a harder sell. 

But with Imax ticket sales proving a bright spot for the industry, up 40%+ YoY in 2025, some theater operators are hopeful that premium offerings — like Champagne and seats as comfy as your couch — just might. 

To lure people back to the silver screen, luxury experiences are quickly becoming the new norm at a growing number of movie theaters, per The Guardian.

What that looks like

• Cinema chain Vue is rolling out 200 of its Ultra Lux seats, which have built-in Champagne coolers, every day across Europe, according to CEO Tim Richards, who told The Guardian Vue’s worst seat is a leather recliner that’s “amazingly comfortable.” 
• UK-based Odeon began offering premium seating in 2017, and has since introduced its Luxe Suite Pods, a “private cocoon” that’s good for date nights and families, and, more recently, front-row VIP Beds.
• Everyman, a luxe-theater pioneer founded in 2000, recently reported a surge in membership signups, alongside increasing revenue and attendance numbers. 

Pricing varies depending on factors like the time of the day, day of the week, and the tech in use. Vue’s luxe recliners range from ~$13 to $35, while Odeon’s run from ~$10 to ~$47. 

Getting creative

First-class concessions and seating aren’t the only ways theaters are innovating on the moviegoing experience.

Many theaters are enhancing screenings with themed dinners and events (e.g., Alamo Drafthouse’s 2023 Cocaine Bear party, which featured an obstacle course and gummy bears), and immersive effects like vibrating chairs and piped-in scents.

In a weirdly circular way, content made for at-home viewing, like sports games and TV shows — including streaming content — are also giving theaters a boost.

• The Stranger Things finale, which played at 620 theaters between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, brought in an estimated $25m+ for US theaters.