The 10 Largest Movie Theater Chains In The World
AMC Theatres introduced its own this summer and attracted 260,000 subscribers in its first two months, and Alamo is testing a beta that had a waitlist of over 40,000 after only a month.
America’s prominent movie-theater chains, ranked from best to worst by audiences
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- A new Market Force Information survey found which theater chains are the most popular among nearly 13,000 participants.
- The survey asked participants to rank each brand based on a Composite Loyalty Index, and then ranked each chain based on its average score.
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas took the top spot, and swept the concessions categories for its convenience and variety.
2018 has been a big year for movies at the box office. This summer alone raked in nearly $5 billion (thanks to an early start with “Avengers: Infinity War”) — the second-biggest haul for a summer ever. That’s a significant improvement from last summer, which was the worst at the box office in over a decade.
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That means people still enjoy going to the theater to see movies on the big screen. And they enjoy some theater chains more than others.
A new survey from customer experience management company Market Force Information found which North American movie-theater chains were audiences’ favorites. Nearly 13,000 people participated in the survey, which asked participants to rank each brand based on a Composite Loyalty Index, which factored in convenience of location, seating, show time selection, available movies, types and price of concessions, box-office service, and more.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, with its unique in-theater food and drink service, took the top spot in the survey with a score of 72%. It ranked highest among moviegoers in categories like previous good experience, value for money spent, staff courtesy and helpfulness, and variety of concessions. It swept the concessions and box-office rankings.
Harkins Theatres came in a close second with an overall score of 68%, with participants ranking it the best in convenient locations and second in ticket-collector courtesy (Alamo ranked first) and showtime selection (Studio Movie Grill ranked first with a 41% score). Marcus Theatres landed at third with an overall score of 64%.
Landmark Theatres ranked first among participants in movie-title selection with a 43% score.
AMC didn’t fare as well as other chains despite its efforts to compete with MoviePass this summer with its own theater-subscription program. It ranked ninth among the 11 theaters included in the survey with a score of 53%.
Brand loyalty will be especially important to chains that want to roll out their own movie-theater subscription programs to compete with MoviePass.
AMC Theatres introduced its own this summer and attracted 260,000 subscribers in its first two months, and Alamo is testing a beta that had a waitlist of over 40,000 after only a month.
Below is a chart of each chain included in the survey, and where they ranked:
The 10 Largest Movie Theater Chains In The World
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- The largest movie theater chain in the world is AMC, with a revenue of $3.91 billion and over 11,000 screens.
- As of 2022, the U.S. movie theater industry has a market size of $8.9 billion.
- There are over 208,000 movie theater screens around the world.
- The global movie theater industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.50% through 2028.
Since their invention, movies have been a favorite pastime of audiences all across the world. And while technology and the film-watching experience have come a long way since the days of Thomas Edison, theaters still exist as one of the best ways to consume movies.
The dark ambiance, the giant screen, the booming sound, and the sticky floors are unmatched for creating an environment where you can escape into a new world.
However, recent (and very recent) developments have put the future of movie theaters in jeopardy. We all know that streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu have been shaping the world of movie-watching for some time now, rivaling theaters in being able to offer brand new films from the comfort of one’s own home.
The COVID-19 pandemic also affected theaters in an unprecedented way in 2020 and into 2021. Most theater chains had to close all theater sites for public safety concerns temporarily and, unlike other temporarily closed establishments like restaurants, had little else to offer in terms of “curbside” or “carryout” options.
Though some chains adapted with features such as drive-in movies, every theater chain was greatly affected in some way by the complete closure of most sites. However, as the world begins to open up again, movie theaters are starting to see a boost in attendance from those who are sick of being stuck at home.
Despite the significant challenges, some companies are still driving growth within this industry. This article will discuss the ten largest movie theater chains in the world by the total number of screens.
10 Largest Movie Theater Chains Worldwide
- AMC Theatres. Leawood, Kansas, United States.Total Number of Screens: 11,041
2022 Annual Revenue: $3.91 billion The first entry on our list, and longtime frontrunner, is the American AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. Founded in 1920, this seasoned company is well known for serving the public with over 1,000 theater sites worldwide in both the United States and Europe. The Durwood family founded the company and currently names Chinese Billionaire Wang Jianlin as its largest shareholder. Founded in 1920 in Kansas City, AMC prided itself on being the first among many great aspects of moviegoing. AMC is the first multiplex (movie theater that features multiple screens) and is the first theater chain to introduce the addition of cupholders to their armrests in 1981, allowing patrons to sip on their carbonated beverages as they watched their favorite feature. Like all movie theaters, AMC took a significant hit in profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, cutting down drastically from the pre-covid earnings of around $5.5 billion yearly. However, the company appears to be recovering from this dip and maintaining its power within the industry. Globally, the corporation employs over 40,000 individuals.
Largest Movie Theater Chains in the World FAQ
- What generation sees the most movies in the U.S.?Gen Z sees the most movies, with 43% reporting that they’ve seen a movie within the past month. Only 34% of those in Gen X had seen a movie within the past month, and the number was even lower for Boomers. Of course, COVID-19 could have a hand in this, as older generations might feel less comfortable going out.
- What is the average cost of a movie ticket?The average movie ticket will cost one individual $11.75. In 2001, the average price of a single movie theater ticket was only $5.66. However, as of 2018, that number was up to $9.11. Families reported that they could easily spend upwards of $35 to see a movie
- What is the largest movie chain the North America?AMC Theaters is the largest in the United States and Canada, with 7,850 total screens as of 2022. While the second and third largest are Regal Entertainment Group with 6,851 and Cinemark USA, Inc. with 4,426.
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