Before the largest annual gathering of national and international theater owners in the world, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin hailed 2018 as a banner year for the American film industry and clear evidence of its resilient creativity.
“All of us can revel in the magic that is the DNA of this great industry,” said Rivkin. “Today, I am here to tell you in 2018, we saw that magic perform. On the screen. In the stories we told. And most definitely, at the box office,” Rivkin said. “As our THEME report shows, 2018 was one of our strongest years on record at global and domestic box offices. Audiences showed the world that the unique power of cinema not only endures, it continues to blaze bright.”
In his annual ‘State of the Industry’ address, hosted by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), Rivkin underscored the MPAA’s ongoing advocacy and antipiracy initiatives that support the industry’s continued success. He highlighted the many ways in which the MPAA works with its partners in the exhibitor community to achieve mutually beneficial results – from removing barriers in trade agreements, to preventing illegal camcording and other forms of piracy, to preserving production incentive programs in the United States and around the world.
Rivkin also cited new statistics from the MPAA’s recently released 2018 THEME report, which saw both the global and domestic box office climb to record highs. The 2018 global box office grew to $41.1 billion, while the U.S./Canada box office increased by seven percent to $11.9 billion.
Three-quarters (75%) of the U.S./Canada population, or 263 million people, went to the cinema at least once in 2018. The gender composition of the cinema audience was 51 percent female and 49 percent male. Meanwhile, per capita attendance was highest among the 12-17 and 18-24-year-old age groups (5.1), and among Latino (4.7) and Asian (4.5) audiences, with both ethnic groups increasing over 2017 levels.
CinemaCon features exclusive studio product presentations along with a trade show of the latest technological advances and innovative concession offerings. Rivkin’s keynote address was followed by remarks from NATO President and CEO John Fithian.
