Source: The Hollywood Reporter
í99 Boxoffice Reels In $7.5 Billion
In 1999, annual theatrical film boxoffice in the United States vaulted past the $7 billion mark for the first time, capping one of the longest expansions in history as revenue increased for the eighth consecutive year. The national boxoffice reached an all-time high of $7.49 billion for the year, beating by 8 percent the previous record of $6.95 billion set in 1998. Despite this, admissions were stagnant and could barely muster a tie with last year. Ticket units tallied an estimated 1.47 billion in the United States in 1999, almost tied with last year's 1.48 billion. Nevertheless, 1998 had the largest number of admissions since 1959, making 1999's total the second highest in 40 years. The current eight-year expansion matches the longest one on record since 1946 (an eight-year period that covered 1963-70). Admissions were in decline in four of those eight years, as ticket prices soared. Average ticket prices have seen a relatively mild 20 percent increase over the past eight-years, while boxoffice grosses have increased 57 percent. The increase at the national boxoffice was driven primarily by higher ticket prices, which were up an estimated 8 percent over 1998. And the national boxoffice total for 1999 would certainly have been higher had Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve not fallen on Friday.