Huge rises in number of screens, homegrown hits and admissions have meant China set to overtake US as biggest movie market in 2017, even as Chinese ticket prices fall and local directors bemoan quality of talent

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

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China is set to become the highest-grossing cinema territory in the world next year, based on the rise in its takings over the past 15 months.

In the last quarter, revenues from cinemas in the mainland of China rose by 50%, in line with rises witnessed throughout 2015.

If sustained, China would make more than $10bn in 2016, closing in on the US 2015 total of $11bn. The north American box office plateaued around $10bn for eight years, before a 7.3% rise in 2015 took receipts into the teens.

The first quarter Chinese box office gross in 2015 was RMB9.663bn, rising to RMB14.49bn for the three months just ended. Last year’s total was RMB44bn ($6.78bn).

Takings have risen alongside the number of cinema screens: in 2015, 8,035 were added in China, at the rate of 22 per day, upping the total by around 40% to 31,627 screens. By the end of 2016, China is expected to have beaten the US, which has just shy of 40,000.

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The 51.08% year-on-year rise in admissions in China accounts for how the territory was able to combat its comparatively low ticket price: $5.36, more than three dollars cheaper than the US’s $8.38. China’s average ticket price has actually fallen 2.5% from its 2015 figure. More than 60% of bookings taken in the country are made online.

China’s mushrooming numbers are also credited to its booming local industry, with incentives in place for cinemas which show domestic rather than Hollywood films. Chinese movies accounted for 61.48% of ticket sales in 2015, with many of the biggest hits – such as The Mermaid, The Monkey King 2 and The Man From Macau 3 – falling into this category.

While some US movies performed well – Zootopia is currently on $207m – others did not make it to release in China. The country does not have an official certification system and all films are edited to be acceptable for all ages, with authorities and film-makers usually liaising over required cuts.

In the case of Deadpool – which earlier this week became the best-performing R-rated film ever – the frequency of inappropriate material meant a compromise could not be met.

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, by contrast, was afforded release, and boosted month-end takings around the globe, including in China.

Over the Chinese New Year period in 2016, the country set a new record for the highest box office gross during one week in one territory. It made $548m, overtaking the previous record of $529.6m, which was set over the 2015 Christmas week in north America.