What you need to know

While the slow and stable growth of movie theaters marks a mature industry, studios and theater operators anticipate 2015 to be one of the biggest revenue generating years on record. Theaters have managed to continue generating profits by enhancing the experiential aspects of movie-going, despite competitive threats coming from a number of at-home movie viewing alternatives. Although theater audiences are declining, movie theaters are forecast to continue on the path of moderate growth, reaping the benefits of their investment in luxury seating, premium concessions, and special events over the next five years.

Definition

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel concentrates on commercial cinema venues. Festivals, army bases, schools, museums, libraries, prisons, airlines, restaurants, cafés, and other venues that license films for profit are not included; only sites whose primary day-to-day function is the commercial display of cinema are considered.

Companies that own, lease, manage, or operate facilities for the day-to-day commercial display of films are the subject of this report, and will be referred to as “movie theaters” or “movie theater owners and operators.”

This Report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Movie Theaters – US, November 2014, as well as the November 2013, May 2012, July 2011, July 2009, and February 2008 Reports of the same title. Readers of this Report may also be interested in Movie Sales and Rentals – US, August 2014 and Streaming Media: Movies and Television – US, December 2013.

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