Posted on 10/15/2018 5:21:07 PM PDT by EdnaMode
Hollywood rode a powerhouse summer lineup to post double-digit gains in box office and attendance, setting itself up to hit a new full-year record haul in 2018 as long as the holiday season delivers.
According to figures just out from the National Association of Theatre Owners, summer box office totaled $4.398 billion, up more than 14% over the previous year. Admissions hit nearly 483 million, up 12%. Each of the top five grossers in the third quarter qualifies as an upside surprise: Mission: Impossible – Fallout; Ant-Man and the Wasp; Crazy Rich Asians; Hotel Transylvania 3; and The Meg.
For the third quarter, which spans July, August and September (with the last of those months featuring It last year but no comparable mega-hit this year), the gains were a bit more modest. Box office in the quarter totaled $2.7 billion, up 6%, with admissions hitting 307 million, up 7%.
Year to date, the average ticket price has been $9.14, NATO said, and $9.11 during the summer.
Total box office for the year through October 14 was at $9.325 billion, up 9% over the off-year levels of 2017, while admissions topped 1 billion, up 6% from last year. Hollywood’s high-water mark came in 2016, when it piled up almost $11.4 billion in grosses.
NATO pointed to some encouraging audience trends, noting that the third quarter was the second consecutive period when the share of box office accounted for by 18-to-24-year-olds increased year over year. That demo kicked in 26.4% of total grosses in the quarter, compared with a shade less than 26% in the year-earlier period.
Moviegoers younger than 10 years old and older than 55 also posted significant gains in the quarter. Under-10s, undoubtedly drawn to more family titles in the marketplace, accounted for 5.18% of the box office, up from a shade under 4% a year ago, while the 55-plus demo rose to 6.71% market share from 5.79%.
Original movies are performing at a historically low rate. The only movies based on an original screenplay to make the top 20 so far are A Quiet Place and The Meg. Everything else is sequel, franchise movie, or based on a best selling book.
Superhero Movies YTD: 2018: 2,670.7 2017: 1,537.9
Non Superhero Movies YTD: 2018: 6,648.8 2017: 6,921.6
I had no idea that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization rated movies.
What an alliance!
I saw Christopher Robin and Crazy rich Asians....both twice. That’s it
0 dollars from me.
I’m going to rent Crazy Rich Asians when it comes out on DVD. Looks like a really good movie.
It is a delight
Reminiscent of the old romantic comedies
Zero from me also. I do want to see Crazy Rich Asians because it had a good review from Freepers, but I can wait.
Good to know. :D
Not a penny from me!
Perhaps its just the strong economy and people with more disposable income to waste in the theaters.
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