The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) quoted Gower Street’s 2022 box office projections as part of its 2021 results announcement this week.
The European exhibitor trade group, which represents cinema operators and their national trade associations across 39 European territories, released its preliminary 2021 box office and admissions results on February 7. UNIC celebrated the return of audiences to big screens across Europe, revealing that early numbers suggest cinema admissions across Europe increased 38% year-on-year in 2021, while box office was up 42%.
Reflecting on the future, the UNIC statement said 2022 would be a “pivotal year for the industry.” It quoted Gower Street’s early 2022 global projection of $33.2 billion, announced in December last year, including the tentative regional estimate that Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) could reach $7.8 billion in 2022 (a +75% gain over 2021) which was first revealed exclusively to UNIC in January.
The release said UNIC members “are confident that the cinema industry will come back stronger from this crisis”.
The announcement was picked up in the industry trade publications Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, which also requoted Gower Street’s projections. Other publications discussing Gower Street’s projections in conjunction with the UNIC figures included: Cineuropa, E-Duesse (Italy), ITC (Ukraine), and Antara News (Indonesia).
