Looks like 2009 has made a few records at the boxoffice, topping $10 billion before Avatar was even released.
Avatar, Transformers, Harry Potter, Star Trek, and Up were all huge successes, roughly to their expected goals prior to their release. But 2009 was prodded along by surprise hits, too, like The Hangover, The Blind Side, and Taken, to name just a few. They helped the year slough off some slower-than-expected returns on blockbusters that weren’t, like Terminator Salvation and Wolverine.
Admissions were up 4% across the board, and the 8% climb in revenue reflects ever so slightly higher ticket prices and more people paying increased rates for 3-D and IMAX presentations.
There used to be a growing concern that the advancement in Home Theater technology and far more appealing prices would hurt the Cinema experience. But that seems to have proven a myth year after year.
It also raises the question of the “unreasonable” movie ticket prices that people consistently complain about. Well for the same reason the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have to try to win the Stanley Cup, the theaters have no reason to charge less for tickets.
They don’t have to. You will fill the seats anyways.
