A panel of entertainment experts weighed in recently on what the future of entertainment might look like, between breakthroughs in technology, production costs coming down, and the evolving—or devolving—human attention span.
The possibilities they outlined were dazzling, but led us to wonder what other new pastimes we should be prepared to embrace. We asked Wall Street Journal readers, “ How do you think Americans will be entertaining themselves 20 years from now?”
Here were some of the novel ideas they shared.
Staying home
You’ll likely see fewer movie theaters in large cities due to the cost of real estate. With home screens getting bigger and streaming better, the shift will be to stay and watch at home (especially those with kids who want to avoid ticket prices).
Movie theaters may have a better future in smaller cities or even towns. But stage performances will likely have a better future since live entertainment has a different appeal than movies, books and/or computer games. In short, anything that can be exhibited digitally will happen at home and the few theaters that remain standing will be for live entertainment.
— Gregory Sioris, New York
Think fast
We humans are visual creatures to the core with a strong desire for instant gratification. We’re going to be playing videogames using thought interaction on screens projected from eyewear to an imaginary field of view.
Given the rapid development of AI and existing technology, we could see “Star Wars” tech like this in just a few years.
— Charles A. Reed , Panama City, Panama
All together now
Twenty years from now Americans will be entertaining themselves with shared virtual-reality experiences, such as virtual travel experiences, golfing, skiing, tennis, basketball, softball, flower arranging, painting, learning experiences or visiting loved ones.
All we will need are headsets, food and beverages!
— Diana Sullivan, Lockport, Ill.
Monopoly, anyone?
Board and card games will make a big comeback in response to technology’s centrality in our lives. These analog games build community, are tactile, and highly experiential. Second, we’ll spend more time in Creation—getting away from the stress, noise, pollution, and crowds of cities and suburbs—because we’ll discover that being close to nature is healthy physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
— Michael Perry , Caledonia, Mich.
We’re all Neo
We will be attached to feeding and cleaning tubes in neural pods, being endlessly entertained by AI masters. And yes, while this was borrowed from “The Matrix,” I do sense that in 20 years, the algorithms that cause us to waste hours each day scrolling now will become far more powerful.
— Ian Hamby , Derby Line, Vt.
Are you not entertained?
Robot gladiators.
undefined — Robert Leon, Long Beach, Calif.
Custom content
With AI, videogames and “Dungeons and Dragons”-type sessions will evolve and merge into an interactive immersive fiction created by the collaboration of a small group of friends and each of their ever-present AI familiars.
These fictions may take a variety of forms. All will include a deeply woven story built around real life or fantasy versions of the friends themselves in the key roles and surrounded by incredibly authentic NPCs.
Story themes will be able to range from “Sex and the City” or “Bridgerton” sexy soap-opera story lines to special operations campaigns with complex intrigue and brutally realistic violence. Of course, players will be able to create their own customized fantasy worlds along the lines of “Doctor Who” or “Lord of the Rings,” as well as humorous escapades in the vein of the “Monkey Island” franchise. The variety of custom adventures will be boundless.
— Billy Hinners, Atlanta
VR parties
Old movie theaters will be repurposed for virtual-reality viewing parties. Let’s say my friends and I want to go scuba diving. Without getting wet, we meet at the VR theater, put on some scuba gear and/or viewing gear and the screen takes us underwater visually so we “dive together.” undefined undefined — Bonnie Ashby Sewell, Williamsburg, Va.
Get outside
We will be trying to “get away from it all” by immersing ourselves in nature, including nature walks, beach vacations and camping. Nature and the wilderness will continue to be the most satisfying and most reinvigorating way to spend our leisure time.
— Cathy Putnam, Littleton, Mass.
Sedentary but skinny
It took the Covid work-from-home migration for Americans to finally start using the camera feature on their conference calls. Over the next 20 years, some other disruption will have us finally embrace virtual reality.
In the future, it will be cool to wear a VR headset. In addition, an IMAX wall installed in your house will be mass-marketed for more VR fun like the “Soarin’ ” ride at Disney’s Epcot.
Americans using VR entertainment in 20 years will probably do so in futuristic recliners similar to those depicted in Pixar’s “WALL-E.” But instead of portly people enjoying futuristic entertainment, we will all be skinnier thanks to today’s GLP-1 medications.
— Boomer Cardinale, Raleigh, N.C.
Imaginary worlds
People will spend a solid chunk of their lives in hyper-personalized, persistent imaginary constructs, like long-running soap operas or television series. These will allow people to watch bespoke (or shared) drama and sports, play games, learn and generate content for others to endlessly scroll.
There will be less personal interaction, and much of what’s left will be through this medium. Occasional intersections with real-life events like football matches will be seamlessly incorporated, but otherwise the shared experience of life will dwindle and become increasingly egocentric, driven by commercial interests and powered by unimaginably powerful algorithms and computation.
Honestly, I hope this isn’t the case, but it feels like the trend line.
— Jordan High , Houston
AI written, AI produced
In 20 years, much content could be AI-composed and produced. A few “classic” performers like Taylor Swift should still be popular and generate most of the industry revenue (through concerts). Hopefully, Bruce Springsteen will be performing as well!
— Steven Eliscu, San Mateo, Calif.
Boom!
Watching AI-generated content, which is regurgitated again and again, fed to a zombie audience that no longer cares. Just as long as it has enough explosions.
— Donna Abbate, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
The more things change…
Twenty years ago, Americans were entertaining themselves in exactly the same ways they do now. The particular apps, games, or other visual forms of entertainment may have changed, but the overall paradigm is very much the same.
Twenty years from now, I imagine things won’t have changed significantly, if you scratch and peek below the surface. We generally don’t find new ways to entertain ourselves; we find new ways to deliver the same old entertainment.
In other words, people will still be people and they will still want to be entertained. The real difference will just be a case of what the medium delivering that entertainment looks like.
— Sophie Marie Tambini, Dover, N.J.
Starring…you!
They will insert their own likeness into an AI movie generator so they can watch a movie with themselves as the main character.
— Virginia Connelly, Wrentham, Mass.
In your head
Brain implants will provide all the auditory and visual stimulation needed to simulate any form of live entertainment. This will obviate the need to travel to entertainment venues and make access economical and on-demand.
— Saul D. Raw, New York
Déjà vu
I think people will be very bored with screen time in 20 years, so we will have moved back to fishing, reading books, gardening, playing real guitars and pianos, taking walks, and enjoying family cookouts. Sports will always be in the mix, whether sitting in the stadium cheering the favorite team or playing a game of pickup basketball in the driveway. Conversations will flow and friendships will flourish.
— Cathy Knoll, Stephenville, Texas
Rocket man
Watching and experiencing space travel.
— Dean Wasniewski, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Whatever you want
The next logical step in entertainment is dynamic content—“choose your own story” adventures with AI characters and environments. Each person can experience the same story differently, and can compare notes with friends.
— Chris Cherry, Jacksonville, Fla.
Sing for me
Robots will be performing in our homes. Wait and see.
— Roseann Fitzgerald, Worcester, Mass.
Into the light
After winning the AI Wars, humans will emerge from our underground bunkers, weary of technology. A new game called “playing outside” will spread among the children as a taboo form of play—first having to sneak out against their parents’ wishes. Not long after, adults will follow suit and find themselves relishing the activities they once forbade their children from.
— Chris McQuattie, Reno, Nev.
Memories
Exoprojection in which the somnolent user is able to assume a conscious awareness of an ideal reality from the past. In my case I will be 32 years old, fly fishing the Yakima River as the sun sets—knowing that my wife and 5-year-old child are busy in my streamside home preparing my birthday dinner.
— Mark Anderson, Snohomish, Wash.
