Martin Scorsese No Longer Watches Movies in Theaters Due to Distracting Audiences

Now’s a good time to mention that friend and legendary film critic Peter Travers, who’s been covering cinema for over 40 years, has officially left his post at ABC and Good Morning America to launch his own blog: The Travers Take. Wishing him the best on this exciting new chapter.

Travers, of course, has interviewed Martin Scorsese countless times over the years, and their friendship has led to plenty of personal conversations as well.

In one of their more recent chats, Scorsese revealed something surprising: he no longer watches movies in theaters. When Travers pressed him on why, the answer came swiftly—and passionately.

I asked the maestro why he doesn’t see movies in theaters anymore and he went all raging bull about audiences who babble on phones during the movie, leave to order snacks and vats of soda, and keep up a noise level loud enough to drown out the actors. “Come on, Marty,” I said, “we couldn’t keep our mouths shut when we were kids.”  His eyes darkened. “Yeah, maybe,” he conceded, “but when we talked it was always about the movie and the fun we had chewing over the details.

These days, Scorsese doesn’t need to rely on the multiplex. He has a personal screening room in his cinema-themed home, filled with vintage posters, film memorabilia, and a large-screen theater playing black-and-white classics. His New York City townhouse even features a fifth-floor study equipped with another screening room, and an extensive movie library. He’s called it a vital part of his life since 2007, helping him curate and revisit films in the best possible quality.

It’s likely through this setup that Scorsese has watched and praised recent films like “TÁR,” “Pearl,” “Nosferatu,” “Hereditary,” and “I Saw the TV Glow.”

And really, who can blame him? Many people today find moviegoing less appealing due to distractions that break the spell of cinema—constant phone use, inconsiderate chatter, and an overall disregard for the shared experience. For someone like Scorsese, who sees cinema as sacred, having a glowing phone screen interrupt the darkened room must feel like sacrilege.

These days, going to the movies can feel like a game of Russian roulette—you never know what kind of audience you’re walking into or who’ll end up sitting beside you. There’s no denying that theater etiquette has taken a nosedive. The rise of streaming and constant smartphone access has noticeably shortened attention spans.

More and more, people seem compelled to “reset” halfway through a film by checking their phones, as if their brains are now hardwired to crave digital distraction.