A hot summer of cinema delivers 9.78 million admissions.
Originally published by Mumbrella
The 2023-24 summer of cinema delivered 9.8 million admissions (15 December 2023 – 28 January 2024).
This result was driven by Wonka, Anyone But You, Migration, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and breakout success Mean Girls.
48% of total admissions across the holidays fell within the P14-39 demographic.
Cinema proved to be the preferred choice for hard-to-reach youths, young families, and female audiences over the school holidays with almost 9.8 million Australians immersing themselves in the biggest cultural moments of the summer.
The hot summer of cinema demonstrated its youthfulness with a huge 48% of total admissions across the holidays falling within the P14-39 demographic, up from 46% last year, driven by titles like Anyone But You, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Mean Girls.
The star of the season was Wonka, which drove the most admissions across the holidays. Since its release on December 14, Wonka has proven its multigenerational appeal, with over 2.05 million admissions delivered across Australia. The film has also surpassed the box office performance of the original 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Tim Burton’s 2005 film adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Breakout success Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney, was the sleeper hit of the summer. The modern romcom resonated strongly with youth audiences and secured 1.04 million admissions during its school holiday run, with an impressive 48% of admissions delivered from the P14-24 demographic.
Illumination Animation’s, Migration contributed to the school holiday period, having accumulated 1.02 million admissions, and DC's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was not far behind, with an impressive 974,000 admissions.
Tina Fey’s American musical comedy, Mean Girls, has proved to be a hit amongst Aussies, delivering 460,000 admissions since releasing on 11 January and is poised to continue its successful box office run over the coming weeks.
Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema commented on the summer results, noting that they were shaped by powerful titles centred around strong female characters.
“Amongst a very diverse slate, we've witnessed a predominantly female-led summer at the cinema, driven by compelling narratives that highlight and celebrate the strength of female characters. This builds upon the positive momentum initiated by powerhouse hit, Barbie, and this is only set to continue in 2024.”
As the curtains close on the remarkable 2023-24 summer season, Australian cinema is gearing up for an equally exciting 2024 slate.
Anticipated releases such as Dune Part Two, Kung Fu Panda 4, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga are set to captivate audiences in the next four months.
Looking further ahead, audiences can expect blockbuster releases and cultural moments like Despicable Me 4, Deadpool 3, Joker: Folie a Deux, Wicked Part 1 and Mufasa: The Lion King.
“We’re set to see some of the biggest and most iconic film franchises continue their cinematic journeys with the lovable Minions in Despicable Me 4 – the largest animation franchise globally, having surpassed $4 billion at the global box office with its latest instalment in 2023, and the highly anticipated Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to Disney's 2019 live-action remake.
The box office success of these franchises speaks volumes, marking a powerful opportunity for brands to align some of the most significant moments in our contemporary culture.
In addition to these well-established franchises, audiences and brands can look forward to exciting new releases, including Wicked Part 1, which is expected to become one of the most monumental films in 2024” added Burbidge.
The Big 10 of 2024 - Release dates:
Dune: Part Two: 29 February
Kung Fu Panda 4: 28 March
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: 28 March
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: 23 May
Inside Out 2: 13 June
Despicable Me 4: 20 June
Deadpool 3: 25 July
Joker: Folie a Deux: 3 October
Wicked Part 1: 28 November
Mufasa: The Lion King: 19 December