“Obsession” breakout Inde Navarrette appeared on “The Kyle Buchanan Show” and offered up her advice to Hollywood on how to keep Gen Z audiences interested in going to movie theaters. It’s not just about original storytelling, Navarrette argued, but also assuring young moviegoers that corporate slop won’t be force fed to them on the big screen.
“Gen Z just wants to go to something that they don’t feel like they’re being sold,” Navarrette said. “Maybe we are tired constantly of having ads in movies or production placement and all of these things. We understand it’s fundamental. We grew up with commercials that are fun that we still quote like State Farm and Aflac. It’s kind of fun. But we don’t want to be sold. We want original stories.”
“Just because we’re living in the time of technology doesn’t mean we’re not living a human life or feel human experiences,” she added. “I’m happy ‘Obsession’ brought that to the table. We want originality and we want to feel.”
“Obsession” turned Navarrette and co-star Michael Johnston into overnight sensations when it dominated the box office this summer on its way to a staggering $522 million global haul. Produced for less than $1 million, the Focus Features-released horror movie is one of the most profitable films in Hollywood history. Even more shocking was how “Obsession” kept earning more money at the box office for four consecutive weekends, becoming a Gen Z word of mouth blockbuster.
Perhaps Hollywood should listen to Navarrette. Variety reported on a Fandango study earlier this year that declared Gen Z the most active moviegoing demographic. The study found that 87% of Gen Zers and 82% of millennials saw at least one movie theatrically over the course of a year, compared to 70% of Gen Xers and 58% of baby boomers. Gen Z and millennials also returned more frequently, with each demo averaging about seven visits per year, ahead of Gen X (6.1) and baby boomers (5.7). The study noted Gen Z also spends more per visit on concessions and on premium format screens like Imax.
“While there has been a perception that Gen Z is less engaged with theatrical moviegoing, our data shows that their momentum has been building,” Fandango executive VP Jerramy Hainline said at the time. “What’s especially notable is how strongly they value the shared, communal aspect of the experience, reinforcing that theaters continue to play an important role as a social destination for younger audiences.”
Watch Navarrette’s full interview on “The Kyle Buchanan Show” in the video below.