New view boosts cinema ticket sales

BOX office success for 3D films such as James Cameron's blockbuster hit Avatar have helped reignite cinema ticket sales and offset falling advertising revenues, according to one of the industry's biggest operators.

Cineworld yesterday said the pre-festive release of Avatar contributed to a 16.8 per cent rise in its own ticket takings in 2009.

A raft of strong recent releases boosted box office revenue growth after a slowdown from 24.3 per cent to 10.9 per cent at the 43-week stage.

The 790 cinema-chain said it had been a strong year for films overall, with releases such as Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and the penultimate Harry Potter instalment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

It was also the year in which 3D took audiences by storm as the industry looked for ways to revive box office sales. Avatar was the latest in a line of 3D releases, coming after 3D cartoons Bolt, Monsters vs Aliens and Ice Age 3.