Gower Street’s Director of Theatrical Insights, Rob Mitchell, was interviewed for the latest issue of Germany’s CINEMA magazine.
Speaking with CINEMA’s Oliver Noelle for the November 2022 print issue, Rob discussed Gower Street’s current projections for 2022 and the challenges to come. He highlighted how an exodus of major titles originally scheduled for this year, leaving sometimes large gaps in the release calendar, had contributed to the revising down of projections through the year. In particular he discussed the challenge cinemas around the world had faced with an over-three month blockbuster gap between THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER in early July and BLACK ADAM in late October, coming right on the back to a successful three month period from May-July where recovery looked truly to be being achieved in multiple global markets – with markets performing at or over pre-pandemic levels. July was also the first month since December 2019 in which Domestic box office delivered over $1 billion in a single calendar month.
Looking at the difference between markets Rob discussed how Germany’s business compared to the average of the last three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019) was in a similar ballpark to the Domestic (US) market, while business in the UK had been stronger, though all paled beside Japan. In contrast China had struggled through a combination of its “Zero Covid” policy the limited releasing of import titles.
When asked if global box office could return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, Rob suggested 2024 would likely be the earliest this might happen. He pointed to continuing delays in the pipeline of Hollywood titles as well as the challenge to global numbers of the ever more unpredictable Chinese market.
The interview featured alongside an article by Noelle focusing on the German market, as well as a graph showcasing Gower Street 2022 projections in comparison to actual box office results for the past five years. The article and interview can be read in the original German below.
