"Why Hollywood is not alarmed enough about Gen Z" - The L.A. Times
- 28 thg 10, 2025
- 2 phút đọc
Gen Z Is Redefining Entertainment — and Hollywood Is Struggling to Keep Up
At this year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Hollywood’s focus on moviegoing nostalgia masked a deeper crisis: Gen Z no longer sees films and TV as central to entertainment culture.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Media Trends report, 56% of Gen Zers say social media content feels more relevant than movies or TV — far higher than millennials (43%) or Gen X (26%). They also feel a stronger personal bond with social media creators than with actors or TV personalities. Though Gen Z spends more total time on media than older groups, they devote far less of it to traditional formats.
The shift is transforming the industry’s balance of power. YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram dominate attention, with YouTube now accounting for 11.6% of all U.S. TV viewing — more than Disney or Netflix. Research firm MoffettNathanson has even dubbed it “The New King of All Media.”
Candle Media co-CEO Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive and ex-TikTok chief, summed it up bluntly: “The center of gravity in youth is not Hollywood. It’s happened already.” He warned studios to be “very, very concerned,” noting that traditional content now consumes more time and money yet yields lower profits.
Legacy media companies are still reeling from the collapse of the old cable bundle model, which once allowed them to “over-monetize” their shows. Streaming, while dominant, is less profitable — and faces the added challenge of competing with creator-driven platforms that cost little and generate constant engagement.
Still, opportunities remain. Warner Bros.’ Minecraft Movie proved that when studios align with youth culture, results can be massive: the film opened to $163 million in North America, fueled in part by Gen Z audiences who grew up with the game. Similarly, Five Nights at Freddy’s showed how fandom and internet virality can still drive box-office gold.
Gen Z hasn’t abandoned movies — they simply want stories that feel culturally relevant and shareable. As Mayer and Disney’s Bob Iger argue, the path forward isn’t nostalgia but quality: Hollywood must give Gen Z something worth talking about.
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