Redakcja Choose TV
European cinemas have had another tough year and it seems the big post-pandemic return of audiences still hasn't materialised. According to data from the International Union of Cinemas, 873.2 million tickets were sold in Europe in 2025, 4.4 per cent fewer than the year before. At the same time, cinema revenues fell by 1.2 per cent, reaching around €6.9 billion. The gap is even greater compared with 2019, when cinemas were operating without pandemic restrictions. However, the problem is not limited to Europe, as a similar trend is being seen in North America.
European cinemas still far from pre-pandemic results
2025 was meant to be the long-awaited rebound for the film industry, but reality proved less optimistic. The number of tickets sold in Europe fell by 4.4%, while cinema revenues dropped by 1.2% to around €6.9 billion. In total European cinemas sold 873.2 million admissions. Even more worrying are the figures compared with 2019, the last full year before the pandemic. Back then the number of tickets sold was about 35% higher than it is now. Revenues are still almost 20% lower than before the pandemic. That means that even several years after the lifting of the strictest restrictions, cinemas have not regained their former popularity. Audiences still go to cinemas, but they do so much less often. At the same time higher ticket prices have partially limited the fall in revenues, which is why the revenue gap is smaller than the gap in audience numbers. The industry had hoped that subsequent major releases would bring audiences back to the big screens. So far, however, attendance levels seen before 2020 have not been restored.
Moviegoers are increasingly choosing to watch films at home
A similar problem can be seen in North America, where cinema revenues in 2025 rose 1.5% to $8.87 billion. At the same time, tickets sold fell by 4.9%, reaching 780 million. Compared with 2019, revenues are about 22% lower. This suggests the issue may be much broader than a temporary lack of big film hits. At-home entertainment is becoming an ever greater competitor to cinemas, and it has grown particularly fast in recent years. The pandemic greatly accelerated changes in viewer habits, and many people discovered the convenience of watching premieres without leaving home. According to data for the United States, home entertainment market revenues in 2025 were as much as eight times higher than cinema revenues, whereas in 2017 the gap was about two to one. The comparison includes, among other things, DVDs and Blu-rays, digital purchases and rentals, as well as streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+. It does not, however, include things like YouTube, sports broadcasts, advertising or traditional pay-TV packages, so the actual scale of home entertainment may be even larger. The first half of 2026 brought some signs of improvement in the US market, but it's still too early to make a full assessment. For now, it seems cinemas must not only rely on more big releases but also find a way to convince audiences that a trip to the big screen is worth the price.
The European cinema market remains clearly below pre-pandemic levels. In 2025, 873.2 million tickets were sold, 4.4 per cent fewer than the year before and around 35 per cent fewer than in 2019. At the same time, the growing popularity of streaming and other forms of home entertainment means cinemas must fight for viewers' attention like never before.
source: flatpanelshd
