Movie Theaters in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
New York, United States
Last Updated: September 2024
NAICS 51213Revenue
$15.3bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XXX.Xm
Employees
77,582
Businesses
2,315
Wages
$X.Xbn
Movie Theaters in the US industry analysis
Demand for movie theaters has been on a consistent dip thanks to intense competition from online streaming platforms. The industry experienced its most significant drop in performance amid the outbreak of COVID-19, which fueled at-home viewership. The pandemic created substantial disruptions for the industry as theatres temporarily closed and audiences stayed home, which resulted in industry revenue plummeting 73.2% in 2020. Although the industry experienced robust growth in 2021 and 2022 as restrictions eased and audiences returned, revenue has yet to return to its pre-pandemic total. Revenue has fallen at a CAGR of 6.1% to $15.3 billion through the end of 2024. Profitability has returned following pandemic lows thanks to theatres implementing monthly subscription programs and offering premium concessions, but overall profit remains depressed from where it was in 2019.
Trends and Insights
- COVID-19 hit movie theaters hard, but they're bouncing back. Despite crushing losses in 2020, innovative strategies and pent-up demand have driven a significant recovery, though challenges like inflation and streaming competition persist.
- Ticket sales account for over half of total revenue. Obtaining the rights to major blockbusters is key, since a popular film is more likely to sell out. Online box office ticket sales have surged in unison with increased ticket prices.
- Movie theater distribution follows population distribution. The region with the largest population, the Southeast, has the most movie theaters. Regions with dense cities have fewer locations due to high real estate costs, limited space and high competition for prime locations.
- Popular films attract audience members, so movie theaters must ensure they have the rights to the season’s biggest hit. Movie theaters must also compete with projects released directly to streaming, which has become more prestigious and popular with general audiences.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 6.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $15.3bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Movie theaters were devastated by COVID-19
- As lockdown orders and social distancing guidelines rolled out at the start of the outbreak of COVID-19, attendance at movie theaters nearly evaporated.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Revenue will finally return to growth
- As the industry recovers from the setback of COVID-19 and inflationary pressure begins to ease, revenue will climb as more and more people who stopped attending movies return to the box office.
Biggest companies in the Movie Theaters in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue ($m)
2024 | Profit ($m)
2024 | Profit Margin (%)
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc. | 3,535.5 | -62.7 | -1.8 | |
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. | 2,493.5 | 238.2 | 9.6 | |
Cineworld Group Plc | 1,910.8 | 424.0 | 22.2 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Admissions to feature films, Food and beverage sales and Advertising revenue. Admissions to feature films is the largest segment of the Movie Theaters in the US.
Trends and Insights
Most revenue is made from admissions
- This segment includes admissions to 3D, drive-in and IMAX movie showings of domestic and foreign films. Box office ticket sales involve the revenue generated from movie viewings at theatres and ticket sales from physical and online platforms. While physical ticket sales still comprise most of this segment, online sales have surged following the pandemic and increasingly accounted for a larger share of theatre revenue.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- DVD, Game & Video Rental in the US
- Cable Providers in the US
- Satellite TV Providers in the US
Complementors
- Movie & Video Distribution in the US
International industries
- Movie Theatres in Canada
- Cinemas in Australia
- Cinemas in the UK
- Cinemas in Germany
- Cinemas in China
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
This industry comprises businesses that primarily show movies. It includes cinemas, drive-in and outdoor movie theaters and film festival exhibitors.
What's included in this industry?
Admissions to feature filmsFood and beverage salesAdvertising revenueOther sales including arcade, events, loyalty programs, gift cardsCompanies
Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc.Cinemark Holdings, Inc.Cineworld Group PlcPurchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
BOX OFFICECONCESSIONSBLOCKBUSTERVIDEO-ON-DEMAND (VOD)Industry Code
NAICS 51213 - Movie Theaters in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
COVID-19 hit movie theaters hard, but they're bouncing back. Despite crushing losses in 2020, innovative strategies and pent-up demand have driven a significant recovery, tho...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Ticket sales account for over half of total revenue. Obtaining the rights to major blockbusters is key, since a popular film is more likely to sell out. Online box office tic...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Movie theater distribution follows population distribution. The region with the largest population, the Southeast, has the most movie theaters. Regions with dense cities have...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Popular films attract audience members, so movie theaters must ensure they have the rights to the season’s biggest hit. Movie theaters must also compete with projects release...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Three companies control more than half the market. AMC, Cinemark and Cineworld dominate the industry and have been able to do so through acquisitions.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Cinemark Holdings, Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Cineworld Group Plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Cinemark Holdings, Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Cineworld Group Plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Alcohol sales boost theater revenue. Many theaters can now serve beer, wine and spirits thanks to new laws. This change gives moviegoers another reason to step out and catch ...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
The industry is labor-intensive, as wage expenses exceed purchase costs. A moderately sized labor force is required, as employees are needed to clean theaters and run concess...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
- Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
- Income Statement (2017-2022)
- Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
- Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States in 2024?
The market size of the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States is $15.3bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Movie Theaters in the US industry in 2024?
There are 2,315 businesses in the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 6.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Movie Theaters in the US market in United States?
The biggest companies operating in the Movie Theaters market in United States are Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and Cineworld Group Plc
What does the Movie Theaters in the US in United States include?
Admissions to feature films and Food and beverage sales are part of the Movie Theaters in the US industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Movie Theaters in the US in United States?
The company holding the most market share in United States is Amc Entertainment Holdings, inc..
How competitive is the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Movie Theaters in the US industry in United States.
