23/10/2026
Global box office reached $34.6bn in 2025, up 7%, according to Futuresource, which expects another 3% in 2026 and more than $41.6bn by 2030. Yet admissions are still below their historical highs. The growth isn’t coming from more people. It’s coming from people paying more per visit.
Look at where that spend is landing:
→ Premium formats now make up around 16% of North American admissions (Futuresource).
→ PLF screens took about $600M, or 9.1% of the US box office, in 2024. PLF revenue grew 33% in five years (Comscore via NBC News).
→ Premium tickets averaged just under $17, up 8% since 2021 (EntTelligence via NBC News).
→ At Cinemark, premium formats drive about 15% of box office and roughly 72% of US seats are recliners.
Concession spend per guest rose 5% in 2025.
Exhibitors are also putting money into laser projection, immersive audio, dynamic pricing, subscriptions, and better food and beverage (Advanced Television). Cinemas are turning into destinations.
My take: of all the premium formats, the seat is the cheapest one an operator can add.
A PLF auditorium needs a new screen, projection, sound, and often a rebuilt room. A recliner upgrade works inside the hall you already have. Every guest feels it from the first minute, at every show and in every genre, not only on blockbuster weekends. And it supports a higher ticket price.
Comfort is the premium audiences notice first.
Which upgrade has paid back fastest in your cinemas?
