Movie Ticket Prices Hit Another Record High in First Quarter

The increase was fueled by titles including 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Lego Batman Movie,' 'Kong: Skull Island' and 'Get Out.'

The average cost of going to the movies in North America hit another record high in the first quarter of 2017, or $8.84, according to the National Association of Theater Owners.

That compares to $8.79 in the fourth quarter of 2016, and an all-time high of $8.65 for all of 2016. Ticket prices fluctuate from quarter to quarter depending upon the strength of the marketplace, particularly 3D titles that can charge a premium or films that get a run in Imax theaters.

The increase in Q1 2017 corresponds with record revenue of $2.9 billion. The boom was fueled by titles including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Beauty and the Beast, The Lego Batman Movie, Kong: Skull Island, Logan, Fifty Shades Darker, Get Out, La La Land and Hidden Figures.

NATO has long contended that the cost of going to the movies has remained relatively static when accounting for inflation, noting that the average ticket price of $2.23 in 1977 is $9.26 when adjusting for inflation.