Aussies chose cinemas as their date destination this Valentine’s Day, delivering the biggest February 14 box office result since 2016, with $6.27 million generated nationwide.
Wuthering Heights leads the charge
Driving the Valentine’s Day result was Wuthering Heights, which opened last Thursday alongside its Australian premiere at Sydney’s State Theatre, attended by lead actors Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
Across its Thursday-to-Sunday opening weekend, the film delivered 255,000 admissions and $6.1 million at the box office. It also became the ninth-largest opening ever for a romance film in Australia.
Notably, 43% of the total weekend box office admissions came from Wuthering Heights, underscoring its broad appeal and central role in the Valentine’s Day uplift.
Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie at the Australian premiere at Sydney’s State Theatre
Crime 101 posts strong debut
Crime thriller Crime 101 also delivered a solid opening, recording 95,000 admissions and $2 million at the box office.
The LA-set heist film, starring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry and Mark Ruffalo, and directed by Bart Layton, earned an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score, adding critical weight to its commercial performance.
Both films, led by Australian stars, outperformed their US openings relative to market size – a result that points to the ongoing strength of the Australian theatrical audience.
Chris Hemsworth (Crime 101)
Depth of slate supports broader momentum
Audience momentum extended beyond new releases, with continued strong performances from Shelter, Marty Supreme, Send Help, and The Housemaid.
Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema, said the current content range is driving engagement across audience segments.
“The depth and variety of content currently in Australian cinemas speaks to the strength of the theatrical market. This weekend alone, six genres featured in the top ten, giving audiences across all demographics a compelling reason to head to the cinema. That breadth of storytelling isn’t slowing down.”
Guy Burbidge
Looking ahead, Burbidge pointed to a robust pipeline of upcoming titles.
“Across the next two months, we have highly anticipated titles like Scream 7, GOAT, Reminders of Him, Project Hail Mary, Hoppers, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 all releasing by the end of April.
“The slate continues to strengthen across Q2, anchored by some of the world’s most successful and beloved IP, including The Mandalorian and Grogu and Minions & Monsters, to Toy Story 5, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Moana, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
Theatres are back
The $6.27 million Valentine’s Day haul signals more than just a one-day spike.
With romance, crime, and family titles all performing, the weekend results reflect a diversified content strategy that continues to resonate with Australian audiences.
Main image: Scene from ‘La La Land’