Chaos Isn’t Reigning At Summer Box Office With $3.35B+, Despite Exhibition’s Woes: Season Wrap-Up

deadline.com:

Yes, exhibitors, it is cold out there.Despite a 91% rebound in the annual summer domestic box office, from $1.755 billion in 2021 to $3.35 billion per Comscore (that’s through Aug.

30), and a 90% explosion in admissions for the May-Labor Day period per EntTelligence, from 153M to 291M over the same period, some feel the need to throw shade and question the overall health of the theatrical business.And coming off the lowest weekend of this summer at $53.3M as the industry braces for a month-and-a-half dry spell sans tentpoles just creates more sweat.The easy blame is the lack of wide release inventory which at 102 estimated titles this year is down from 2019’s pre-pandemic 143 titles for pics booked during their first weekend in 1,000-plus locations.

Currently there’s 84 wide releases scheduled for 2023 on Comscore, but more can easily get added — or even subtracted.Cried one cinema dine chain boss to us recently about Shazam: Fury of the Gods leaving the Christmas period for March 17 next year (as Warners looks to get extra juice from Imax screens), “A move like that has a top to bottom effect.

How do I explain to an employee at one of my theaters they’re not getting hours during that holiday week because there’s less traffic?