More than 70 percent of global box office revenue is generated by international markets outside of the US domestic market, according to a survey conducted by the Australia-based Global Cinema Federation, which was created to support a healthy global cinema industry. The GCF says it recognizes the importance of better educating the entire film ecosystem about the global market.
GCF chairperson Jane Hastings said, "There are three areas that the Global Cinema Federation is currently focused on to ensure a more accurate reflection of global cinema experiences and global movie-goers. Firstly, around 70 percent of Global Box Office is generated outside of the USA, so enabling a broader understanding of global movie-goer preferences is important.
“Secondly, there is a wealth of innovation in cinema experiences globally delivering strong results, and we want to better educate the entire film ecosystem. Finally, the GCF is investing in better understanding the financial impact of piracy to support the industry in adjusting strategies to protect film revenues effectively.”
One of the most recent GCF initiatives has been their first global movie-goer survey, generating more than 96,000 responses across 14 countries including the key regions; Asia/Pacific, Europe and North America. The survey highlighted that respondents want to watch movies in cinemas, with only five percent of those surveyed preferring to watch new movies on streaming platforms.
Respondents also highlighted that film appeal is one of the biggest barriers to visiting the cinema.
Across all demographics, respondents want more action/adventure films (59 percent) a genre well represented in cinemas, and more comedy (53 percent) films, a genre currently underrepresented in cinemas. Females (55 percent of respondents) are also seeking more romance (39 percent) and drama (41 percent) films in cinemas, also genres underrepresented in the near-term film release schedule.
The cinema industry has faced a dearth of supply following COVID and industry strikes, creating a supply issue for the global exhibition industry. However, the film slate is now showing positive signs of recovery and demand for the cinema experience across all demographics remains strong.
Several box office records were broken in 2024 including Inside Out 2 which has become the highest grossing animated film in history, and Deadpool & Wolverine, which has earned the title of the highest grossing R-rated movie in global cinema history.
The frequency of cinema visits is directly correlated with volume of films released that appeal to each movie-goer demographic. The recent release of Moana 2, Wicked and Gladiator II all with broad and varying appeal to differing demographics, is recreating an unmissable cinema event, and individually Wicked and Moana 2 are already breaking records.
Another current focus for the GCF is movie piracy and the wider impact on the industry. The GCF has engaged global piracy intelligence and audience measurement leader Muso, to better track the impact of windows in relation to piracy. It is recognized that investing in anti-piracy is not only about stopping illegal streams or downloads it is about understanding the financial impact of piracy and supporting the industry to adjust strategies to protect revenue effectively.
Notably, there is a significant surge in piracy activity on the day of or immediately following a film's video-on-demand release, coinciding with the availability of high-quality versions for illegal consumption. The shorter the theatrical window, the faster high-quality versions are available to drive a spike in piracy. While window policies and lengths can vary by country, a shorter theatrical window for a film in one country drives a spike in piracy for that film globally, likely impacting the full potential commercial performance of that film.
The GCF also launched globalcinemafederation.com, featuring a convenient reference point for global industry insights, including experience innovation. The cinema experience continues to evolve providing movie-goers with more choice on how they can choose to watch a movie. There are an increasingly wide range of seating options, cinemas dedicated to families, high-tech premium large screens and boutique food and beverage offerings. An international trend proving successful is providing a range of seating options to better represent budgets and preferences within the same auditorium.