With 96 million admissions, the year 2021 shows an increase in cinema admissions of 47% compared to 2020, but down 55% compared to 2019. As the CNC reminds us, the year 2021 has not was spared by the pandemic: rooms were closed for 138 days, then gauge and curfew and finally health pass. But that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the public. As proof, from June to December, attendance at theaters reached 92.6 million admissions, a decline of only 23% compared to 2019. The month of December confirms this dynamic since with 20.4 million admissions , 2021 is almost on par with 2019 (22.7 million) and 2018 (21.5 million).
Leading American Films
The return to an almost normal situation of theatrical programming, in particular for American films, means that they achieve 40.8 million admissions and 42.4% of the market share; the market share of French films is 40.8%, or 39.2 million admissions, films of other nationalities reach 16.8% of the market and 16.1 million admissions.
3 French films in the Top 10
The Top of the box office is still recovering since only 2 films reach more than four million admissions, 8 films achieve more than two million admissions and 24 more than one million admissions. The podium is occupied by 3 American films: SpiderMan, Dying Can Wait and Dune. Then there are two French films: Kaamelott-first part and BAC Nord and Les Tuche 4 completes the Top 10 of the year 2021. Regarding the Top 30, it has accumulated 51 million admissions or 53.1% of total attendance.
The concentration of attendance is stronger this year: the top thirty titles accumulated 49.7% of the annual total in 2020 and 44.6% in 2019 according to Comscore.
2022 starts without popcorn but with films
Deprived of confectionery, the rooms should continue to fill up if we refer to the recovery index produced by Comscore: “The“ vs Minimum ”Recovery index has constantly fluctuated between 80 and 130%, underlining a return of the market to a level close to or above the minimum level of the pre-Covid years, with the exception of the summer period marked by the slowdown following the establishment of the Health Pass, and the period of decline in attendance in October. “
The room operation remains however suspended from the threat of new health restrictions if the Omicron variant gets out of control. And as regards the chronology of the media, French operators are immune to a drastic shortening to 30 or 45 days as is the case in the United States with SVOD. Under these conditions, 2022 could see theater attendance return to its pre-COVID level.