Cinemas Need to Keep the Momentum Gained in 2026 Rolling
It’s been a pretty huge year at the box office, with September closing having already seen four films pass $1 billion worldwide, and another go on to nearly hit $2.5 billion. Below those, the top ten is rounded out by five entries at over $500 million, including the deserved surprise hit Obsession on $518 million.
There’s a renewed interest in going to the cinema and seeing the latest big-budget or buzz-generating film. Cinemas need to keep this momentum rolling. Some are already working out ways to do so, but ultimately, one factor will matter above all else: cost.
Encouraging Attendances to Rise
Cinema tickets aren’t exactly cheap right now. Since the vast remodelling jobs most major cinema chains have undergone in recent years, you’ll be lucky to get a ticket for £8 or less at standard rates. Compared with the fact you can still get the DVD of a new film for £15 or less, and a Netflix subscription starts from £7.99, cinemas have some stiff competition.
So what steps can cinemas take? It’s worth looking to other areas of entertainment – for instance, with iGaming, there are offerings of free trials, a unique casino bonus for new players, and prize draws. Meanwhile, in ecommerce, we see loyalty schemes with increasing rewards, or referral bonuses.
Some chains are already taking note. For instance, Vue offer family tickets starting from £2.49, two free tickets with Sky Cinema each month, cheaper tickets with O2 Priority, or free tickets with Vitality insurance. Along with their own loyalty program, it’s a comprehensive slate of incentives to see a film.
Then there’s Odeon, with two tickets for £10 with Amazon Prime – great for those of us who also like to watch films at home. Their scheme, myLIMITLESS Plus, has student discounts, and with Odeon Extras you can get tickets on Mondays for as little as £4.50.
Both of these chains also make use of Meerkat Movies, and offer discounts for booking online, encouraging fans to plan and book in advance.
Out of the Hands of the Cinemas
Returning to Vue for a second here, they announced the short film Feel it Forever earlier this year, which was a collaborative effort with Taika Waititi. It kicked off a campaign of the same name that wants to celebrate the how great stories, characters, and the feeling of seeing them of the big screen never leave us.
This is what’s ultimately at the core of the drive to go to the cinema. People will happily go and see whatever film’s being talked about right now, but if it ends up being a disappointment, they’re less likely to want to pay cinemas prices again.
Of course, every film released is different, and they don’t all need to be masterpieces, but too many lacklustre outings piled on top of one another for each visitor will eventually weigh them down. It then becomes all too easy to just wait for the streaming release.
So, unfortunately for cinemas, regardless of the comfy seats and promotional offers, if the writing behind the biggest releases that the most people will see isn’t up to scratch, this momentum won’t continue into 2027. Films like Obsession offer hope that the industry is on the right track, but big budget ones like The Odyssey suggest otherwise.