The Cinema Foundation today released its inaugural State of the Cinema Industry report and the findings are promising for exhibitors, studios and film fans alike.

The study provides industry data on the box office, U.S. and international screen and location counts, the average U.S. ticket price, success metrics for Cinema Days around the world, the relationship between theatrical and home releases, piracy and surveys of consumer sentiment and behavior. The report also explores industry innovations and opportunities going forward.

“Data and research are the essential tools we use to drive forward cinema innovations,” said Jackie Brenneman, president of The Cinema Foundation. “What we found from our multiple research partners is that the future of the moviegoing experience looks bright and that a number of new opportunities exist for both exhibitors and studios.”

Highlights of the new report:

A new Cinema Foundation survey indicates U.S. exhibitors are planning to invest broadly in cinema innovations over the next three years.
Theaters will see more than 50% uptick in wide releases this year compared to last year.
Adjusted for inflation, today’s average ticket price is lower than 1971’s average ticket price.
Exhibition’s international footprint has expanded and the number of screens has increased worldwide.
Home viewers place a higher value on movies that they know were first released theatrically.
Moviegoers hope to see more diverse genres at the movie theater, with comedy, action/thriller, horror, drama, and romance ranking as the top five most requested.

Consumers are willing to pay a premium price for alternate content and new experiences on the big screen.
Longer theatrical release windows help delay piracy spikes that occur when a film debuts at home.