Hollywood is in a state of flux: fewer cinema releases, falling audience figures and the rise of streaming are fundamentally changing the film industry. There is no real return to its former strength - instead, a smaller, more precise Hollywood is emerging.
The cinema is no longer the reliable growth engine it once was. Although individual blockbusters continue to generate billions in revenue, the market as a whole is shrinking. Fewer film releases, a decline in medium-sized productions and falling attendance figures are weighing on studios and cinema operators alike. Instead of a return to the old normal, the industry is experiencing a profound reorganisation.
Between 1995 and 2009, the major Hollywood studios released an average of over 110 films per year. Today, the figure is less than 90 - a trend that has been reinforced by mergers such as Disney's takeover of 20th Century Fox. Audiences also remain cautious: cinema attendance in the USA is around 40 per cent below the level of ten years ago, while ticket prices have risen by over a third. Global box office sales remain well below the pre-crisis years.
The situation is difficult for cinema chains. Market leader AMC has lost almost a third of its stock market value in 2025, while Cinemark and smaller providers are also reporting falling sales. Fewer major film releases mean greater dependence on individual hit titles - a risky business model in a volatile market.
Streaming is also only partially compensating for the losses. Although the number of premium subscriptions in the USA recently grew by around ten per cent, the majority of viewing time is spent on series, not films. Netflix and other providers are reducing their in-house productions and increasingly focussing on licensed material. Streaming creates additional exploitation windows, but does not replace the sales of a global cinema release.
The major studios are responding with clear strategies: NBCUniversal relies on proven brands such as Despicable Me or Wicked and combines it with targeted streaming. Warner Bros. focuses on global brands such as Dune and Godzillawhile Paramount is dovetailing its cinema releases more closely with Paramount+. Sony is diversifying via anime and TV content, while Disney is reducing the number of its films and focussing on quality and brand strength.
The trend is clear: fewer films, more targeted planning, broader exploitation across different platforms. Hollywood remains present, but cinema is only one part of a larger ecosystem. The future does not lie in the masses, but in strategy, brand strength and the precise use of each individual film.