North American Box Office in 2004
by Andre Soares
Dan Glickman, head of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), announced at ShoWest 2005 in Las Vegas that 2004 American and Canadian ticket sales topped US$9 billion for the third year in a row. Although there was a slight drop in movie admissions (the second yearly drop in a row), these still surpassed the 1.5 billion mark for the third consecutive year — a feat not seen since 1959. (Note: there are about 130 million more people living in the U.S. and Canada today than in the late 1950s, an approximate 60% increase.)
Glickman added that American films performed well at the international box office, in fact surpassing the box-office totals of U.S. and Canadian theaters for the first time. (Overall international box-office figures topped US$14.9 billion, reflecting a 13.7% increase in admissions from 2003.)
In the U.S. and Canada, PG-rated films, open to all ages, grossed $2.3 billion in 2004, while R-rated films, aimed at adults, took $2.1 billion. It was the first time in two decades that PG-rated films outperformed R-rated films, even though, as in previous years, many more R-rated movies were released in 2004.
Five of the top 10 biggest box-office hits of the year were rated PG, including Shrek 2, The Incredibles, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. PG-13 films (no one under 13 allowed without a parent or guardian) continue to account for the largest share of the U.S. / Canada box office.
John Fithian, head of the National Association of Theater Owners, said that Hollywood studios should make more "family films."
Children, after all, can’t go to the movies alone — which means at least one extra ticket sold to the accompanying adult — and kids and teens are great consumers of food and beverages at movie theater concession stands.
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