Cinema admissions recorded their best ever results since pre-covid lockdown restrictions, as 897,000 Australians visited the cinema over the weekend of 25-28th Mar 2021. Proving once again the power of cinema in delivering hard-to-reach demographics, 50% of last weekend’s audience were aged 18-39.
The weekend sets a new benchmark for audience levels and confirms the return of consumer confidence in the cinema environment. Momentum is expected to build throughout the April school holidays as new first run titles hit cinemas, including Tom & Jerry, Two by Two: Overboard!, Nobody, and The Courier.
Last weekend’s stellar results were fuelled by a growing blockbuster content slate, with Godzilla vs. Kong achieving an outstanding performance of 413,000 admits, and Peter Rabbit 2 achieving 176,000 admits. Both films achieved these results in only their first weekend at the box office.
The growth in admissions also further validifies Val Morgan’s 2020 Great Escapers research, which proved that an overwhelming segment of the Australian population are seeking experiences that offer them a sense of escapism and return to normal life.
“These early results have far exceeded our forecasts and signals that returning cinema audiences are craving the immersion and escape that only the cinema experience provides. We anticipate that national admissions will continue to gain momentum and exceed forecasts throughout 2021 with an 18-month content slate crammed into just nine months,” Guy Burbidge, managing director of Val Morgan said.
“Advertisers can be assured that Val Morgan Cinema is still the most powerful AV platform for brands to tell their story and truly connect with consumers. Now is the time to get back on board with the biggest, brightest, and best advertising platform in the world”.
Australians’ hunger for first-run content and experiences outside of the home will be fulfilled with blockbuster movie titles such as Fast & Furious 9, Mortal Combat, Cruella, Black Widow, Top Gun: Maverick, In the Heights, and A Quiet Place II all dropping within the next 15 weeks.