Table of Contents
Overview
-
- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
-
- Overview
- The issues
- Streaming options combat high ticket prices
-
- Figure 1: Average movie ticket price and annual US and Canada admissions, 2008-17
- Sequel fatigue changes movie landscape
- Disconnect between desires and reality
-
- Figure 2: When moviegoers see movies, January 2016-March 2017
- US theater performance may not be necessary to studio success
- The opportunities
- Nearly universal satisfaction with movie theaters
-
- Figure 3: Satisfaction with movie theater features, July 2017
- Expanding menus open up concessions potential
-
- Figure 4: US movie theater revenue change – By segment, at current prices, 2012-17 and 2017-22
- Reviews influential to success
-
- Figure 5: Movie considerations – Any reviews, by key demographics, July 2017
- Hispanic market opening doors
-
- Figure 6: Population by Hispanic origin, 2012-22
- Younger moviegoers seeking more
-
- Figure 7: Movie theater purchases, by age, July 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Slow growth for movie theater revenue
- Box office struggling, concessions promising
- Other content providers competing with theaters
- Changing market disconnected from consumer desires
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Steady growth forecasted despite issues
-
- Figure 8: Total US movie theaters revenue and forecast, at current prices, 2011-21
- Figure 9: Total US movie theaters revenue and forecast, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
-
- Box office admissions have the greatest impact
-
- Figure 10: Total US movie theater revenues, by share of segment, 2017
- Rough summer stunts box office growth
-
- Figure 11: Total US movie theater box office revenue and forecast, at current prices, 2012-22
- New concessions show promise
-
- Figure 12: Total US movie theater concessions revenue and forecast, at current prices, 2012-22
- Advertising revenue brings steady growth
-
- Figure 13: Total US movie theater advertising revenue and forecast, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Perspective
-
- Prices rise as admissions stagnate
-
- Figure 14: Average movie ticket price and annual US and Canada admissions, 2008-17
- Easy to stream movies at home…
- …and on the go
- Television advertising lucrative, engaging
- Gaming offers immersive entertainment
Market Factors
-
- Teens, kids more likely to see movies
- Share of kids seeing movies consistently high…
-
- Figure 15: Adults, kids, and teens movie attendance, February 2007-May 2017
- …but fewer households with children could hurt family films
-
- Figure 16: Households, by presence of related children, 2006-16
- Late viewing doesn’t support shorter time in theaters
-
- Figure 17: When moviegoers see movies, January 2016-March 2017
- 3D losing steam
-
- Figure 18: Interest in 3D, February 2010-March 2017
- Action tops preferred genres, and studios respond
-
- Figure 19: Preferred movie genres, January 2016-March 2017
- Sequel fatigue limiting big blockbusters
-
- Figure 20: Top grossing films in the United States, 2016-17
- Hispanic growth could open movie market
-
- Figure 21: Population by Hispanic origin, 2012-22
Key Players – What You Need to Know
-
- Major theater chains expanding
- Comfortable spaces appeal
- Easy access to content makes it difficult to justify theater trip
- Making money in new ways
Leading Movie Theater Chains
-
- Acquisitions, expansions propel AMC Theaters
-
- Figure 22: Number of locations owned by movie theater chains, 2012-16
- Figure 23: Total annual revenue of movie theater chains, 2012-16
What’s Working?
-
- A luxurious night at the movies
- The comforts of home
- Expanding the menu
- Preselection of seats ensures quality experience
- Some movies no longer “critic proof”
- Open doors to movies everyone can enjoy
- Premium formats maintain movie magic
- Exclusive engagements bring in atypical moviegoer
What’s Struggling?
-
- Competing with online quality, accessibility
- Instant access to movies in theaters
- Streaming service syndrome
- Hackers leak exclusive content
- Shhh, no spoilers!
- Short runs place emphasis on opening weekend
- Movie theater “death” narrative on repeat
What’s Next?
-
- Movie theater subscriptions moving forward despite backlash
- Asian market influencing content
- Putting greater emphasis on other revenue streams
- Creating immersive film experiences
- IMAX uses VR to suck people in
- Moving into the fourth dimension
- Moviegoers might choose their own adventures
- Apps to make movie experience more comfortable
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Core moviegoing base ensures growth
- Trailers, reviews important do decision making
- Traditional movie snacks still dominate
- Theater loyalty firmly established
- Prices deter non-moviegoers
- Moviegoers highly satisfied
- Out with the old, in with the new
- Moviegoers make the most out of theaters
- Don’t ruin the movie
- Moviegoer segments reveal key targets
Movie Theater Attendance
-
- Four in 10 adults have seen movies in the last month
-
- Figure 24: Movie theater attendance, July 2017
- Visiting less than once a month common
-
- Figure 25: Frequency of movie theater attendance, January 2016-March 2017
- Young men go the most frequently
-
- Figure 26: Movie theater attendance, by gender and age, July 2017
- Parents bringing the kids
-
- Figure 27: Movie theater attendance, by parental status, July 2017
- Hispanics make it to the movies
-
- Figure 28: Movie theater attendance, by Hispanic origin, July 2017
Movie Considerations
-
- Know what you’re getting in to
- Being prepared with showtimes, reviews
- Teasing the full thing
- Advanced booking used by some
-
- Figure 29: Movie considerations, July 2017
- Young women like to be prepared, men trust reviews
-
- Figure 30: Movie considerations, by gender and age, July 2017
- Parents ensure wholesome fun
-
- Figure 31: Movie considerations, by parental status, July 2017
- Black moviegoers enjoy trailers
-
- Figure 32: Movie considerations – Watched trailer, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2017
Movie Theater Purchases
-
- Tried and true snacks popular
-
- Figure 33: Movie theater purchases, July 2017
- Younger adults have a sweet tooth
-
- Figure 34: Movie theater purchases, by age, July 2017
- Parents with two kids treat
-
- Figure 35: Movie theater purchases, by number of children under 18 in household, July 2017
- Older women non-spenders
-
- Figure 36: Movie theater non-purchasers, by key demographics, July 2017
Reasons to Visit Movie Theaters
-
- Proximity, loyalty drive theater choices
-
- Figure 37: Reasons to visit movie theaters, July 2017
- Older adults want reliability, younger seek value
-
- Figure 38: Reasons to visit movie theaters, by age, July 2017
- Give parents the extras
-
- Figure 39: Reasons to visit movie theaters – Select items, by parental status, July 2017
- Value, format more important for Hispanics
-
- Figure 40: Reasons to visit movie theaters – Select items, by Hispanic origin, July 2017
Reasons to Avoid Movie Theaters
-
- High ticket prices are greatest deterrent
-
- Figure 41: Reasons to avoid movie theaters, July 2017
- Quality, social priorities show between ages
-
- Figure 42: Reasons to avoid movie theaters – Select items, by age, July 2017
- Suburban residents need relevance, urbanites too busy
-
- Figure 43: Reasons to avoid movie theaters – Select items, by area, July 2017
Satisfaction with Movie Theater Features
-
- Cinephiles love their movie theaters
- Movie quality, seating given high marks
-
- Figure 44: Satisfaction with movie theater features, July 2017
- Primary determinants for overall satisfaction align with highly rated features
-
- Figure 45: Key drivers of overall satisfaction with preferred movie theater, July 2017
- Younger adults enjoy the experience
-
- Figure 46: Satisfaction with movie theater features – Select items, by age, July 2017
- Hispanics satisfied with service, sweets
-
- Figure 47: Satisfaction with movie theater features – Select items, by Hispanic origin, July 2017
Movie Decisions
-
- New, original content exciting
-
- Figure 48: Movie decisions, July 2017
- Younger moviegoers more spontaneous, engaged
-
- Figure 49: Movie decisions, by age, July 2017
- Hispanics open to new experiences
-
- Figure 50: Movie decisions, by Hispanic origin, July 2017
Attitudes toward Movie Theater Experiences
-
- The joy of the cinema
- Nine in 10 enjoy the theater experience
- Half are willing to splurge for higher quality
-
- Figure 51: Attitudes toward movie theater experiences, July 2017
- Solo ventures, full meals less desirable
-
- Figure 52: Attitudes toward movie theater preferences, July 2017
- Young men splurge
-
- Figure 53: Attitudes toward movie theater experiences – Select items, by gender and age, July 2017
- Parents go all out on movie night
-
- Figure 54: Attitudes toward movie theater experiences, by number of children under 18 in the household, July 2017
Issues with Movie Theaters
-
- No talking, no texting, fewer trailers
-
- Figure 55: Issues with movie theaters, July 2017
- Older moviegoers more content
-
- Figure 56: Issues with movie theaters, by age, July 2017
- The comforts of home keep parents away
-
- Figure 57: Issues with movie theaters, by parental status, July 2017
Segments of Moviegoers
-
- Factors
-
- Figure 58: Moviegoer segments, July 2017
- Sentimental Cinephiles (22%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
-
- Figure 59: Moviegoer segments – Sentimental Cinephiles, by demographics, July 2017
- Film Fanatics (21%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
-
- Figure 60: Moviegoer segments – Film Fanatics, by demographics, July 2017
- Eager Agreeables (20%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
-
- Figure 61: Moviegoer segments – Eager Agreeables, by demographics, July 2017
- Social Selectives (20%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
-
- Figure 62: Moviegoer segments – Social Selectives, by demographics, July 2017
- Bored Bystanders (17%)
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
-
- Figure 63: Moviegoer segments – Bored Bystanders, by demographics, July 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
-
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Key Driver Analysis
-
- Methodology
- Interpretation of results
-
- Figure 64: Correlation of movie theater features with satisfaction with overall movie experience– Key driver output, July 2017
Appendix – The Market
-
-
- Figure 65: Total US movie theater revenues and forecast, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 66: Total US movie theater revenues and forecast, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
-
Back to top