8.5 Million Moviegoers Went to Theaters on National Cinema Day, Up 5% From Last Year

variety.com:

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter An estimated 8.5 million people went to the movies this Sunday on National Cinema Day, a 5% increase in attendance from last year’s inaugural event.

On National Cinema Day, hosted by the Cinema Foundation, all showtimes in every format (including Imax and Dolby) were $4 at participating theaters.

Even with heavily discounted tickets, the box office saw a 16% increase over the previous Sunday, Aug. 20. Moviegoers aged 18-24 and 25-34 each made up 22% of the National Cinema Day audience, according to Comscore, while patrons aged 13-17 accounted for 16% of ticket buyers.

Women turned out in slightly higher numbers than men, making up 52% of the audience. “National Cinema Day was a significant success in bringing together millions of film fans of all ages to enjoy movies on the big screen,” said Bryan Braunlich, executive director of The Cinema Foundation. “Movie theaters and all our partners helped maximize the impact of the day with creative marketing and special promotions that added to the overall excitement, while a diverse slate of exciting films provided something for everyone to see.