Cinemas in Australia: Market Size, Businesses & Forecast 2026

The Motion Picture Exhibition industry in Australia comprises businesses operating indoor or outdoor cinemas that screen photographic motion pictures to the public. According to Screen Australia, the market generated a gross box office of A$970 million in 2025 across 2,238 active screens nationwide. While gross revenues rose slightly by 2 per cent relative to the year prior, total annual cinema admissions shifted down by 2 per cent to 54.2 million admissions in 2025. The industry continues to balance persistent pressures from digital subscription streaming video services against ongoing consumer demand for premium, large-format premium theatrical viewing experiences.

Industry snapshot

Key public data points

Historical & forecast

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What does the Cinemas in Australia industry cover?

This industry covers entities that primarily engage in screening motion pictures on standard screens, large-format screens, or through drive-in cinema facilities. It encompasses commercial ticket sales, screen advertising services, and the distribution of confectionery, food, and beverages at cinema candy bars.

• •Classified under the official Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) code J5513 for Motion Picture Exhibition.
• •Excludes home video distribution, direct streaming subscription platforms, and television broadcasting operations.
• •Includes secondary income streams generated from on-screen commercial advertising contracts and private theatre venue hire.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The Australian cinema landscape is concentrated around a few major corporate exhibition chains alongside a fragmented secondary network of independent operators and local regional circuits. Corporate structures are heavily reliant on major international film distribution schedules, primarily driven by Hollywood studio slates.

• •Major national circuits operate large-scale multiplex properties situated in key urban metropolitan shopping complexes.
• •Independent and boutique exhibition networks cater to specialized, art-house, and foreign-language film demographics.
• •According to Screen Australia, the national footprint sustained exactly 2,238 active commercial cinema screens in 2025.

What drives demand in the industry?

Consumer ticket purchasing behavior is fundamentally tied to the volume, commercial appeal, and critical reception of mainstream Hollywood releases. Demand is additionally influenced by household discretionary expenditure trends, premium viewing upgrade options, and competitive local pricing structures.

• •US studio productions historically command the market, securing an 85 per cent share of the total national box office in 2024.
• •Domestic creative output varies annually, with Australian-controlled films contributing a 2.6 per cent share of total box office takings in 2025.
• •Alternative global content has expanded, with Asian film titles representing 46 per cent of all new market releases by 2024.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

The commercial market features aggressive competition among major theatrical chains for premium real estate locations and exclusive rights to major blockbusters. Operators increasingly compete via advanced audio-visual layouts, seat comfort enhancements, and licensed food and beverage service additions.

• •EVT Limited (trading as EVT) is a prominent public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange operating the Event Cinemas brand.
• •The HOYTS Group operates a substantial national multiplex footprint alongside its screen advertising division, Val Morgan.
• •Village Cinemas Australia Pty Ltd co-operates major exhibition sites across Victoria and Tasmania through strategic structural joint ventures.
• •Reading International Inc. maintains a direct corporate footprint in the domestic market via its subsidiary, Reading Cinemas Australia.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The industry's near-term trajectories focus heavily on stabilizing ticket yields to offset minor reductions in total per-capita admissions volume. Operators are actively investing in luxury layouts, dine-in cinema additions, and specialized event screenings to sustain consumer engagement against domestic streaming alternatives.

• •Total annual ticket sales slightly declined from 55.4 million admissions in 2024 down to 54.2 million admissions in 2025.
• •Gross box office returns increased by 2 per cent in 2025, reaching A$970 million due to higher average ticket pricing structures.
• •A historical shift has occurred in title origin, with the absolute volume of US titles released down to a low of 22 per cent in 2022.

How is the industry regulated?

Cinema exhibitors must strictly comply with national media classification frameworks that control public content access based on age demographics. Furthermore, commercial cinema venues are subject to standard state-level commercial building compliance regulations, occupational health standards, and consumer privacy laws.

• •All public film screenings require statutory classification ratings administered under the National Classification Scheme.
• •According to the Australian Classification Board, over 90 per cent of the top 25 highest-grossing box office titles in 2024 required formal legal classification oversight.
• •Exhibitors face compliance monitoring by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding fair trading and ticket pricing disclosures.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• Screen Australia Cinema Industry Trends 2025 ·
• Australian Bureau of Statistics ANZSIC 2006 ·
• Australian Government Classification Board Annual Report 2024-25