21/02/2025 - Despite challenges, European cinemas maintain stability with the support of national films and strong international titles, and very successful National Cinema Days across the continent

The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) has released preliminary data on the performance of European cinemas in 2024, highlighting a year of resilience and strategic recovery. Despite the lingering impact of the Hollywood strikes in the first half of the year, overall admissions across UNIC’s 39 territories declined by just 1.4%, while box office revenue saw a minimal dip of 0.3%, reaching over €7.2 billion. It should be noted that 2024 admissions surpassed the previous year in France, UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine. 

Local productions played a crucial role in maintaining stability within the European market. Bulgaria saw remarkable growth with box office revenues up by 10.8% and admissions increasing by 4.1%. The biopic Gundi: Legend of Love by Dimitar Dimitrov, celebrating footballer Georgi Asparuhov, helped national titles secure a record 24.4% market share—triple that of 2023. 

Lithuania mirrored this success, achieving a 9.8% rise in box office revenues and a 5.8% increase in admissions. The documentary Irklais per Atlanta by Aurimas Valujavičius and the comedy Millionaire's Money by Tadas Vidmantas were among the top performers, boosting the national market share from 14.6% to 20.2%. Finland set a milestone with a 31.3% market share for local films, with over 2 million admissions for local films, the highest since 2017. The film Stormskerry Maja [+see also:
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France continued its stronghold as Europe’s top cinema market with 181.3 million admissions, edging past 2023’s figures. National films claimed a remarkable 44.4% market share, driven by hits like A Little Something Extra, The Count of Monte-Cristo [+see also:
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In Italy, box office revenue reached €494 million with 69.7 million tickets sold, marking summer 2024 as the best in the country's box office history and surpassing the previous year's record, while Christmas admissions surged by 28%, with Italian films capturing 45% of festive ticket sales. Meanwhile, the UK maintained a robust box office performance, exceeding £978 million in revenue and achieving a 2.3% rise in admissions, with November and December showing exceptional growth—up 77% and 36% year-on-year—driven by hits such as Wicked, Mufasa: The Lion King, Moana 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and British co-productions Paddington in Peru and Conclave [+see also:
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While local films shone brightly, US titles regained momentum as Hollywood resumed regular releases. Disney’s Inside Out 2 not only became the highest-grossing animated film of all time but also the fastest to surpass the $1-billion mark globally. Universal’s Despicable Me 4 and Disney’s Deadpool & Wolverine were instrumental in boosting summer admissions. The second half of the year was dominated by a robust release calendar, with hits like Gladiator II, Wicked, Moana 2, and Venom: The Last Dance helping bring the EMEA region close to pre-pandemic box office levels by the fourth quarter.

National Cinema Days across Europe continued to attract large audiences. France’s 'La Fête du Cinéma' celebrated its best turnout since 1985, drawing 4.65 million visitors—50% more than in 2023. Italy’s 'Cinema in Festa' attracted nearly 1.7 million viewers, Spain’s 'Fiesta del Cine' had over 2.2 million admissions, and Germany’s 'Kinofest' reported over 1.2 million viewers in two days in over 700 cinemas.

Laura Houlgatte, CEO of UNIC, praised the dual impact of local hits and US blockbusters: “Both local hits and US blockbusters played a crucial role in 2024, while cinema operators across Europe continued to invest in the best experience for their audiences. These two ingredients – a great film and a great experience – are the key to cinematic success. Our message is clear: continue to bring quality, diverse and well-marketed films to the Big Screen and the audiences will follow.” 

As the industry looks forward to 2025, Gower Street Analytics predicts a $2.5 billion increase in the global box office to $33 billion, with the EMEA region expected to contribute €9.1 billion. Final detailed data for 2024 will be released by UNIC in June, offering a more comprehensive view of how European cinemas adapted and thrived despite a challenging start to the year.