How Kids Are Reshaping Hollywood’s Box Office in 2025

According to the Wall Street Journal, Hollywood is being reshaped by an unexpected force: kids.

As the broader movie business struggles with weak PG-13 and R-rated results, PG films have surged to the top of the box office for the second year in a row. Titles like “A Minecraft Movie,” “Lilo & Stitch,” and the upcoming “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” are dominating ticket sales, proving that children and preteens have become the industry’s most reliable audience.

Theaters say PG releases are now their safest bet, and many chains are adding screens whenever a new family title arrives.

Research from the National Research Group shows that Gen Alpha, kids currently growing up on unlimited streaming, actually prefers going to theaters more than any older generation, especially for social experiences, sing-alongs, and viral fandom moments.

At the same time, nostalgia is pulling millennial parents back into cinemas with their kids for franchises like “Toy Story,” “Moana,” and “SpongeBob.”