Gower Street Analytics estimates 2022 Global box office hit $25.9 billion through December 31. This represented a +27% gain on 2021, continuing global box office recovery. However, it still shows a significant way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels, coming in -35% behind the average of the last three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019) – a loss of approximately USD $14 billion at current exchange rates.

China, meanwhile, relinquished its box office crown after being the top market in both 2020 and 2021. Instead, North America once again dominated the box office delivering an estimated $7.5 billion in 2022, 65% over 2021. China is calculated to have finished at approximately $4.33 billion, putting it -36% behind 2021. It is one of only three markets Comscore and Gower Street track to show a year-on-year loss. China finished at close to half (-49%) its pre-pandemic three-year average.

The International market (excluding China) is estimated to have finished around USD $14.1 billion in 2022, representing a 55% gain on 2021 and a slimmer 29% deficit against the 2017-2019 average. Europe, Middle East and Africa delivered USD $7.1 billion, a gain of 52% over 2021. Asia Pacific (excluding China) is calculated to have delivered USD $5.2 billion in 2022, up 49& on 2021 and Latin America delivered just shy of $1.8 billion, showing the biggest gain over 2021 (87%).