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European cinemas have endured another difficult year, and it seems the big post-pandemic return of audiences has yet to materialise. 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 previous year. At the same time cinema revenues fell by 1.2 per cent, reaching around €6.9 billion. The gap is even larger compared with 2019, when cinemas operated without pandemic restrictions. However, the problem is not confined to Europe, as a similar phenomenon is being observed in North America.
European cinemas still far from pre-pandemic figures
Year 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 tickets. 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 nearly 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 much less often. At the same time, higher ticket prices have partly limited the fall in revenues, which is why the difference in revenues is smaller than the difference in audience numbers. The industry had hoped that further major releases would bring people back to the big screens. So far, however, attendance levels known before 2020 have not been restored.
Viewers increasingly choosing films at home
A similar problem can be observed in North America, where cinema revenues in 2025 rose by 1.5 per cent to $8.87 billion. At the same time the number of tickets sold there fell by 4.9 per cent, reaching 780 million. Compared with 2019, revenues are about 22 per cent lower. This shows the problem may be much wider than a temporary lack of major film hits. Home entertainment is becoming an ever greater rival to cinemas, and it has developed exceptionally quickly in recent years. The pandemic greatly accelerated changes in viewers' 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 larger than cinema revenues, while in 2017 the gap was roughly two to one. The comparison takes in, among other things, DVD and Blu-ray discs, digital purchases and rentals, as well as streaming platforms such as Netflix or Disney+. It does not, however, include YouTube, sports broadcasts, advertising or traditional pay-TV packages, so the true scale of home entertainment may be even greater. The first half of 2026 brings some signs of improvement in the US market, but a full assessment of the situation will have to wait. For now it looks as though cinemas must not only hope for more big productions but also find a way to convince viewers that a trip to the big screen is worth the price.
The European cinema market is still clearly below its pre-pandemic level. In 2025, 873.2 million tickets were sold, 4.4% fewer than the year before and about 35% 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
