Are summer movies still alive and well or are they a thing of the past? American cinema audiences are divided.
A new poll examining the movie preferences of 2,000 people finds that 30% of movie fans say the summer hit is actually bigger than ever.
However, a fifth (21%) are more critical, feeling there are too many sequels and remakes at the moment.
These results come from a movie habits survey conducted by Talker Research, which saw a stronger than one in ten (11%) say the summer blockbuster has officially dropped and they would prefer to stream at home.
An indifferent 15% said they never cared about the popular season in the first place, while nearly a quarter (23%) couldn’t decide where they stood.
Millennials are the biggest fans of summer blockbusters, with 37% considering them alive and well, followed by Generation Z (35%). Enthusiasm for summer blockbusters diminishes with age, falling to 30% of Generation X and only 20% of Boomers.
About one in six (17%) still feel the best way to see a summer movie is opening weekend at the theater, while 21% are theatergoers but would rather wait a few weeks. Either way, theater attendance declines dramatically by age, with 56% of Gen Z preferring to watch a movie on the big screen versus 19% of boomers.
Thirty-four percent of the 2,000 respondents said they would always prefer to stream the movie at home when it becomes available.
When asked what new movies they were most excited to see this summer, “Toy Story 5” topped the list, followed by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
“The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “Minions and Monsters” and “Supergirl” completed the top five.
Long-running features such as the 2-hour, 53-minute epic “The Odyssey” and the 2-hour, 25-minute “Disclosure Day” also made the top 10, coming in at No. 8 and 9.
Film length may be one of the factors contributing to Americans’ choice of films this summer and whether they watch them at home or in the theater.
Previous Talker Research reports on the same The survey found that the ideal length for a film is only 88 minutes.
Movies we’re most excited about this summer
1. “Toy Story 5”
2. “Spider-Man: A Brand New Day”
3. “The Devil Wears Prada 2”
4. “Minions and Monsters”
5. “Supergirl”
6. “The Donkey: The Best and the Last”
7. “Moana” (live action)
8. “The Odyssey”
9. “Disclosure Day”
10. “Dog Stars”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans. The survey was commissioned and conducted online by Talker Research from June 11, 2026 to June 17, 2026.