Are movie theaters out of style? Vaccination rates are increasing, and people are returning to restaurants despite the fact that the new COVID variant may cause problems but they aren’t flocking back to the movies.

According to a study by the film research business The Quorum, which was cited by the New York Times, 49% of pre-pandemic moviegoers are no longer going to the movies.

What’s going on: Movie theaters were first closed, and when they reopened, many people were still wary about gathering indoors with strangers.

As a result of this trend, studios are making new films available online at the same time they are released in theaters. Warner Bros. has pledged to release all of its 2021 films on HBO Max on the same day they hit theaters.

Now, the company has announced that in 2022, it will make ten films exclusively for HBO Max.

As a result, former moviegoers may now view new films at home, without masks and with free refreshments.

People named nicer seats and cheaper popcorn as upgrades that would motivate them to return to cinemas, according to David Herrin, the head of The Quorum.

If movie theaters want to stay afloat, they’ll have to persuade consumers that there’s something special about going to the movies that you can’t get at home.