3D drives EU gross box office to record high in 2010 as market share for European films drops

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory

Based on provisional data available, the European Audiovisual Observatory estimates that 2010 gross box office takings in the European Union increased by 5% year-on-year to around EUR 6.45 billion, the highest level on record. In contrast to 2009 box office growth was exclusively driven by an increase in average ticket prices as admissions actually decreased by 1.6% to 967 million tickets sold.

These data seem to reflect the impact of 3D films in their second year on the market. While it can be assumed that the novelty factor of 3D had significantly contributed in driving growth in cinema attendance in 2009, 3D films failed to further increase ticket sales in 2010 but kept cinema attendance at the second highest level since 2004 and caused the average ticket price to increase by an estimated 6.8%.

Read the whole story here.