Global box-office decline steeper than that of US movie market

Hollywood executives and theatre owners have fretted loudly and often about the tough box office in the United States.

- 

Turns out, it is worse overseas.

Global ticket sales fell at a double-digit clip in 2024 due to a sharp drop in China, the world's second-largest market, along with contractions in Japan, South Korea and Germany.

Worldwide revenue slumped 10 per cent to US$30.5 billion (S$41.8 billion) in 2024, according to data from researcher Gower Street Analytics, making the US and Canada a bright spot with a decline of just 3.3 per cent. China's box office shrank by 25 per cent, while the rest of the international market was down 8.2 per cent.

The numbers show that sluggish theatre attendance was far more than just a domestic problem for Hollywood's movie industry. Major releases, like 2024's box-office leader Inside Out 2, can generate more than 60 per cent of their ticket revenue outside America, making falling international receipts a big concern.