Hollywood’s Shaky Summer Box Office Points to Larger Issues

Summertime Blues: Despite record-breaking hits (Avengers: Endgame, etc.) annual movie ticket sales will most likely decline vs. 2018.

Why this matters: Summer accounts for as much as 40% of annual movie ticket sales.

Summer movie ticket sales (YoY growth) according to comScore:
1) 2017 – $3.8B
2) 2018 – $4.4B (↑ 15%)
3) 2019 – $4.3B (↓ 2%)

Annual movie ticket sales (YoY growth) according to Box Office Mojo:
1) 2010 – 1.3B 
2) 2011 – 1.3B (↓ 4%)
3) 2012 – 1.4B (↑ 6%)
4) 2013 – 1.3B (↓ 1%)
5) 2014 – 1.3B (↓ 6%)
6) 2015 – 1.3B (↑ 4%)
7) 2016 – 1.3B (↑ 0%)
8) 2017 – 1.2B (↓ 6%)
9) 2018 – 1.3B (↑ 6%)

Average ticket price (YoY growth):
1) 2010 – $7.89
2) 2011 – $7.93 (↑ 1%)
3) 2012 – $7.96 (↑ 0%)
4) 2013 – $8.13 (↑ 2%)
5) 2014 – $8.17 (↑ 0%)
6) 2015 – $8.43 (↑ 3%)
7) 2016 – $8.65 (↑ 3%)
8) 2017 – $8.97 (↑ 4%)
9) 2018 – $9.11 (↑ 2%)
10) 2019 – $9.01 (↓ 1%)

Quote from Chris Aronson – Former Distribution Chief @ 20th Century Fox:“Pricing was never an impediment to going to the movies, and it is now…Streaming services have come along with such attractively priced entertainment that theaters can’t compete, except on a handful of event movies that people absolutely must see.”

The big question: Could variable pricing drive more ticket sales?

FYI: It is not just movie ticket sales that are down.

Entertainment choices down in 2019 vs. 2018:
1) Disney Theme Parks (tickets) – ↓ 3%
2) Broadway (tickets) – ↓ 3%
3) Movies (tickets) – ↓ 2%
4) National Parks (visits) – ↓ 1%

More #1: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ is now the highest-grossing film of all time, dethroning ‘Avatar’

More #2: How Will Movies (As We Know Them) Survive the Next 10 Years?

More #3: The Absurdities of ‘Franchise Fatigue’ & ‘Sequelitis’ 

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