Shakeup for Sydney’s Cinema Scene
Sydney’s cinema scene is set to improve with the opening of a new 14-screen Palace Cinema and a make-over for the old science Imax. …
Korean Cinemas Face Pricing Backlash
Korean cinema majors CGV, Lotte and MegaBox have been accused of monopolistic practices in terms of ticket and concession prices. …
Cinema of the Month: Embassy Diplomat Screens – Bangkok, Thailand
The setting is thoroughly familiar to any jet setting CEO. A tastefully decorated lounge with a large selection of complimentary snacks, canapés, hot dishes and deserts, not to mention water, juices and coffee. A well stocked bar and an attentive bartenders who…
CJ Interviews: Julian Pinn, Exec Producer, IBC Big Screen Experience
Celluloid Junkie interviews Julian Pinn about the IBC 2016 Big Screen Experience, including Ang Lee’s 120fps HDR 4K “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” keynote and more. …
RealD Scores a Hat Trick in July
RealD had a good July with a patent win over Masterimage, acquisition of Tessive and a 4,000 screen deal with Wanda for China. …
How Korea Dominates Vietnam’s Cinema Market
Korea’s CJ CGV and Lotte Cinemas between them control 65% of the cinema market in Vietnam, a lesson for other exhibitors of smart growth abroad….
CJ Interviews: Mariam El Bacha, Director of Operations, MBO Cinemas, Malaysia
CJ interviews Mariam el Bacha, Director of Operations at Malaysia’s MBO Cinemas, about team building, motivating staff, improving customer service, standing out as a brand and Lionel Messi….
BREAKING NEWS: Cineworld Buys Empire Leicester Sq and More in £94m Deal
Cineworld’s £94m acquisition of Empire Leicester Sq and four more sites has sent shockwaves through the UK cinema business, pointing to more consolidation. …
AMC Increases Carmike Acquisition Offer to $1.2 Billion Ahead of Shareholder Vote
As expected, AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. upped its offer to acquire Carmike Cinemas, Inc. on Monday morning. We predicted as much less than 24 hours before and were nearly spot on with the revised offer AMC would make for Carmike….
CJ Analysis: Taking Stock of AMC’s Acquisition of Carmike
On July 15th Carmike Cinemas Inc. delayed a vote on whether to accept an acquisition offer from AMC Entertainment Holdings of USD $1.1 billion. The original shareholder vote was to take place on June 30th but was rescheduled for the…
Fathom Events Set for Record Success With “Batman: The Killing Joke”
If you wonder why Hollywood studios continue to churn out superhero sequels, or if you have any doubt as to the popularity of such films, you need only look at the success Fathom Events is having with “Batman: The Killing…
Cinema of the Month: Kino International – Berlin, Germany
Berlin’s Kino International is the cinema of the month, a piece of East German nostalgia transformed into a retro-chic single-screen art-house cinema of the highest order. …
Is Magi Pod the new mini Imax?
Doug Trumbull’s new Magi Pod concept showing 3D 4K 120fps movies in an an immersive boutique cinema format could be the most significant challenger to Imax yet. …
CJ Analysis: Everything You Need to Know About the AMC Acquisition of Odeon & UCI
AMC is acquiring Odeon & UCI to create the world’s biggest cinema circuit. Celluloid Junkie analysis the deal from every angle. …
CJ Interviews Jean Mizrahi, CEO Ymagis About EclairColor – EXCLUSIVE
Celluloid Junkie spoke exclusively to Ymagis CEO Jean Mizrahi about EclairColor, the company’s new high dynamic range and high contrast mastering and projection technology that impressed at CineEurope. …
CJ @ CineEurope 2016: Creative Collaboration and Partnerships
Madelene Josephson (SF Bio), David K. Planar (Google Zoo), Tanya Easterman (Cinema First) and Derren Sequoia (Facebook) discussed cinema online collaborations at this engaging CineEurope panel….
CJ @ CineEurope 2016: 10 Years of Event Cinema
ECA’s Melissa Cogavin reflected on 10 years of event cinema, followed by a panel with James Dobbin, Marc Allenby, Monica Törnblom, Franco di Sarro, Simon Tandy, Nicole Heim, Lucy Barclay…
CJ @ CineEurope 2016: Coca-Cola Seminar – Rebels With a Cause
Coca-Cola’s first CineEurope seminar looked at Rebels With a Cause, i.e. what can be done to attract Millennials to cinemas, with talks by Corinne Thibaut, Krista Webb Carney, Jan Runge and Tillman Rothberg….
CJ @ CineEurope 2016: Data Driven Innovation
CineEurope looked at the issue of data-driven innovation in cinemas with a panel of Fernando Evole (Cinépolis Spain), Will Palmer (Movio), Richard Powers (Showtime Analytics), Tonis Kiis (WB) and Jim Zak (comScore)…
CJ @ CineEurope 2016: The Future of Cinema – an Executive Round Table
CineEurope 2016 brought together Dreamworks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg, Odeon’s Paul Donovan, Carmike’s David Passman and NCG’s Jan Berhardsson to discuss the future of cinema. …
Cinema of the Month: iPic Westwood – Los Angeles, CA
In completing this profile of the iPic Westwood as our Cinema of the Month for June, we were reminded just how important it is to avoid one’s own preconceptions. When we set out to cover the iPic Westwood, an upscale…
CJ Analysis: AMC Acquisition of Carmike In Jeopardy
The acquisition of Carmike Cinemas Inc. by AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. was never going to be entirely easy or uncomplicated. It is safe to say, after the events of the past two weeks, culminating in a delayed shareholder vote earlier…
Gunman Killed in German Cinema, Hostages Injured
A gunman who took hostages in a Kinopolis cinema in Vernheim, western Germany, has been killed by police special forces. Hostages are said to be injured. …
At CineEurope, a Call for Cinemas and Studios to Work Together
The first day of CineEurope 2016 saw calls for closer co-operation between cinemas and studios in sharing data and serving customers, but mistrust – both mutual and of 3rd parties – runs deep….
“Finding Dory” Finds Box Office Records
These days every box office record seems to be reported with a string of qualifiers. Biggest midnight screening of an R-rated comedy starring a woman, largest opening of an American action movie in China during February, highest recorded per-screen-average of…
Korea’s Lotte Cinema Faces Slush Fund Allegations
Lotte Cinema faces accusations that its concessions business was used as a cover for slush funds as investigators probe the murky affairs of the parent company Lotte Group. …
Vivendi to Open 100 Cinemas Across Africa
Vivendi has opened the first cinema in Cameroon. Canal Olympia is the first of 100 screen planned across Africa by the parent company of TV network Canal+….
Stop Arguing Over Theatrical Windows and Start Worrying About Piracy Windows
As you may be able to infer from the semi-sarcastic headline of this post, we were all set to have some fun commenting on a recent academic study with the protracted title, “Windows of Opportunity: The Impact of Piracy and…
CJ Interviews Kim Pedersen – President of the Danish Cinema Association, Danske Biografer, Denmark
CJ interviews Kim Pedersen, the frank and knoweldgable President of the Danish Cinema Association and VP of UNIC, about future trends, being born into a cinema family and why Danish films are so successful. …
AI Algorithm Predicts Box-office Success (Sort Of)
A research paper by Dr Kang Zhao and Michael T. Lash looks at factors that can help predict the box-office success of films, with interesting results. …
Do Opera Screenings Cannibalise Opera Audiences?
English Touring Opera claims live cinema screenings do not grow the audience for opera, but research paints a mixed picture and the ECA defends existing practices. …
CJ Interviews Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, CEO, Novo Cinemas, U.A.E.
CJ Interviews Debbie Stanford- Kristiansen, CEO, of Novo Cinemas about 7-Star luxury, memorable customer experiences and how Novo stays ahead of the game….
Millennials Love Cinema Says NCM (Data Backs It Up)
US cinema advertiser NCM presents its studio on Millennials and movies, showing a growing engagement in what is a social media and data-driven business….
Cinema of the Month: Cinéma Olympia – Cannes, France
Cinéma Olympia in Cannes is where film buyers from all over the world congregate each year to do deals. CJ looks at the anonymous but hugely important cinema. …
Imax Ventures Into Virtual Reality in Cinemas
Imax is partnering Google and Starbreeze to launch a cinema-based virtual reality venture….
CineTechGeek Video Blog Coverage of CinemaCon 2016 Now Online
CineTechGook James Gardiner shares his insights form CinemaCon and NAB in his latest round of video blog posts that explain the latest cinema tech trends….
The Reason Why Geneva’s Last XXX Cinema Survives
Geneva’s last adult cinema is not closing any time soon. And for one strange reason unique to Switzerland, every one of its major cities has a XXX cinema. …
Woody Allen Goes Digital With Vittorio Storaro In Cannes
CANNES, FRANCE – Acclaimed filmmaker Woody Allen gives off the impression that he is not one to accept change very quickly, or even willingly. Almost all of Allen’s films open with short, simple credits featuring white text on a black…
Another Future of Film
Digital Hollywood’s Future of Film conference found new angles on the topic of what’s in store for movies in the age of VR, HDR and Netflix….
“Spotlight” Shines At 17th Annual Golden Trailer Awards
Open Road’s independent biographical drama “Spotlight” has a few more prizes to place on its mantle next to the Best Picture Oscar it took home earlier this year. The Tom McCarthy film picked up two trophies at the Golden Trailer…
Wrapping Up Our Thoughts On CinemaCon 2016
CJ editors, contributors and industry professionals share their thoughts and takes on this years CinemaCon and NAB, including Screening Room, 120fps and swag. …
CJ @ CinemaCon: Exhibition and Distribution – Collaborating and Partnering for the Greater Cause
At this year’s CinemaCon, if the keynote addresses given on International Day were noteworthy for reporting on the health and well being of the industry as a whole, then the panel discussion on collaboration between exhibition and distribution may have…
Cinema of the Month: PVR Icon, Mumbai, India
Mumbai’s first PVR Icon is our Cinema of the Month for April. See what a five-star luxury screen in the heart of Bollywood looks like. …
CJ @ CinemaCon: “Adapting Our Organizations and Tools to Succeed in a Digital World,” Julien Marcel, CEO, Webedia US
Webedia’s Julien Marcel gave a a terrific overview at CinemaCon of digital disruption and how cinemas can use collaboration tools to succeed….
CJ @ CinemaCon: International Keynotes Highlight Growing Global Industry
Each year before CinemaCon officially gets underway, the show’s organizers hold a day of seminars and panels focused on the international marketplace. Appropriately dubbed International Day, in the five years since the annual convention first started being held, the international…
CJ @ NAB: Universal First Studio to Embrace ACES Fully
AMPAS’ Andy Maltz provided an update on ACES at NAB 2016 and Universal will be first studio to embrace the system fully by 2018. …
Ang Lee Just Invented a New Form of Cinema
NAB2016 saw a demo “Billy Flynn’s Long Halftime Walk” in 120fps 3D 4K. It was like nothing witnessed before. Afterwards the film’s director Ang Lee spoke about pushing the limits of cinema….
CJ @ Cinemacon: ‘Cinema: Experience is Everything’, David Hancock, IHS
IHS’s David Hancock looks at how the experiential nature of cinema going is changing in the post-digital age. …
CJ @ CinemaCon: “Crossing Borders: The World Of International and Local Productions”, Tomas Jegeus, President, Fox International Productions
Fox International Production President Tomas Jegeus talks about the importance of local film productions for the health of the global cinema industry at CinemaCon. …
CJ @ CinemaCon: Interview with Carmike Cinemas CEO David Passman
When CinemaCon officially opens on Tuesday April 12th with the “State of the Industry” presentation, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will bestow the 2016 NATO Marquee Award upon David Passman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carmike Cinemas,…
CJ @ CinemaCon: Interview with Phil Groves of IMAX
On Monday, April 11th CinemaCon will award Phil Groves from IMAX the CinemaCon Passepartout Award during the International Day luncheon at the annual trade show in Las Vegas. The award is presented each year to an industry executive who has…
CJ @ CinemaCon: Interview with TK Architect’s Mike Cummings
CJ talks to TK Architect’s Mike Cummings about the role of the architects in creating great cinemas across the world. …
Korea’s CGV Buys Turkey’s Mars for $800m
S. Korea’s CGV has bough Turkish cinema chain Mars in deal valued at $800m as mega consolidation takes hold amongst the world’s top cinema chain. …
The Palette at the Exhibition End of the Artist’s Intent
CJ Flynn visits Barco Innovation Centre at AEG Regal LA Live Cinema and reflects on the importance of cinema test beds. …
CJ @ CinemaCon: Interview with Smart Pricer’s Christian Kluge
Smart Pricer’s CEO Christian Kluge talks to Celluloid Junkie about dynamic pricing for cinemas, how to price a Star Wars film and more. …
Ymagis Is Now CinemaNext and Eclair
Ymagis has announced its re-structuring and re-branding into CinemaNext and Eclair and the company looks to the post-VPF future. …
Movio Tracks Blockbuster Audience Evolution Patterns
Movio’s white paper looks at the evolution of cinema audiences over a blockbusters opening weekend and week, yielding surprising insights….
Celluloid Junkie’s Top 25 Women in Cinema Business – 2016
Celluloid Junkie salutes the Top 25 Women working in the global cinema industry in our first ever annual ranking. …
Why So Few Women CEOs in Exhibition?
In conjuncture with our Top 25 Women in Cinema, Celluloid Junkie asks why there are so few females in the top jobs of exhibition. …
Cinema of the Month: CGV Liberty City Point, HCMC, Vietnam
In our first ever Cinema of the Month we visit CGV Liberty City Point in Vietnam’s second city and marvel how a 10-screen cinema can fit so neatly in a hotel….
China Box Office Fraud – Too Big To Ignore
Major box office fraud appears to be behind the success of martial arts blockbuster “Ip Man 3” with Chinese media and authorities finally tackling the well known problem. …
The Problem With India’s Multiplex Ticket Caps
Multiplex tickets in south India will be capped at INR 120 ($1.78) to delight of audiences but could inadvertently hurt local films and push cinemas out of business….
Are Movies Getting Longer?
Are movies getting longer? Stephen Follows crunches the numbers and analyses which genres, what directors and whether films are really do stretch on forever. …
CJ Analysis: AMC To Buy Carmike For $1.1 Billion (As Russia’s Largest Cinemas Merge)
AMC has agreed to buy Carmike for $1.1bn, which will create the first global 10,000 screen circuit through parent company Wanda, same day as Russia’s largest cinema chains merge ownership….
Movio Knows What Women Want (in Cinema)
Movio is the data analytics company that understands movie going pattern based on analysis of vast amounts of cinema data. This is what they found for an under-served audience. …
The Force of Dolby Cinema
CJ Flynn goes behind the scenes at the AMC Dolby Cinema in Burbank to bring us his unparalleled analysis of the next generation movie-going experience….
The Myth of the Opening Weekend as a Key Performance Indicator
Gruvi’s Ben Johnson crunches the numbers to show that the opening weekend box office focus can be over-stated in terms of judging a film’s long term success….
European Cinema Attendances Rises in 2015 (but 1,900 Analogue Screens Remain)
European cinema attendance rose significantly in 2015, judging from statistics announced by both UNIC and MediaSalles. But regional variations remain, as do 1,900 analogue screens. …
The Interesting Failure of Cinema-on-Demand
With Pathe and Cinérive terminating their trial with Gokino.ch the concept of cinema-on-demand is struggling to take off in the age of social media commerce….
Norway Launches Cinema Scheme for Quality Films – SF Boycotts
Norway’s largest cinema chain Nordisk has launched a cinema discount scheme for quality film, but rival SF Norge is boycotting it in favour of its own promotion….
China’s Micro Cinema Business Gets Serious
The first ever summit has been held for the micro cinema business in China. Also known as private cinemas, the sector is growing but still faces issues such as piracy….
Weekly Cinema Digest – Friday 21 January 2016
India – Could the Indian box office boom be undermined by single screen cinema closing faster than multiplexes are adding new screens? Like the PVR five-screen cinema at Grand Mall in Chennai’s Velachery, there are dozens of multiplexes across India ready…
How Sustainable Is The Chinese Cinema Market?
In 2011 the average ticket price in China was CNY ¥ (USD $5.62) but by 2015 this had fallen to nearly CNY ¥35 (USD $5.32) despite the growth of Imax and premium screens and the increase in cinema ticket prices…
Weekly Cinema Digest – Friday 15 January 2016
Europe – 2016 was a pretty good year at the European box office, with the feel good of “Star Wars: the Force Awakens” at the end of the year masking some spectacular flops (remember “Fant4stic 4”?), some troubling attendance figures…
Cinema City Offers ‘Unlimited’ Ticket in Poland
Cinema City launched its ‘Unlimited’ ticket in Poland on 1 December. Priced at PLZ 42 (USD $10.39) for its cinemas outside Warsaw and PLZ 49 (USD $12.12) for its cinemas in Warsaw. The ticket is not valid for special events…
CJ Cinema Digest – Monday 19 September 2016
Indian cinemas love online ticketing, UNIC-CICAE statement, GSC for sale, Imax VR details, Everyman to double, PVR NCDs for acquisition, Cinepolis India to spend & grow, Italy €2 cinema scheme a hit, Madrid €6 cinema, Argentina cinema on curriculum, EclairColor in Deauville, Numero win Roadside, SmartPricer expands UCI trial, West Africa’s first Imax, oral sex in cinema, TIFF film too ‘Raw’, Imax in Asfotd, Picturehouse in Chester, Berlin’s Delphi Lux, Regal Hamilton 8, save Curzon Mayfair, Wellington’s ‘secret’ 38-seat cinema for sale. …
CJ Cinema Digest – Friday 2 September 2016
Wanda’s PVR interest and HY results, China cinema law, CGV brand win, Spain 21% cinema VAT anger, German small cinema growth, no Odeon Bath 3am shows, Amazon open air car cinema Poland, Prospero on UK’s outdoor cinema love, Cinex Plaza and Majestic NZ go digital, Celebration! closed caption, Dan Fuhlendorrf sues UCS, German cinema robbery, LFF temporary Thames screen, The Light Bolton sees light of day, art deco cinema saved in Belfast but lost in London, and dog cinema in Norway. …
CJ Cinema Digest – Monday 29 August 2016
“Billy Lynn” screening challenge, Alibaba cinema investment, VRrOOm VR cinemas, Aries’ Indian 10,000 4K plan, Osman Exhibitor of the Year, Indian single screens and piracy, ‘Jason Bourne” 3D complaints, Argentina cinema stabbing, German outdoor cinema washout, Tarunga multiplex and “Nine Lives” 19 midnight screenings. …
CJ Cinema Digest – Friday 26 August 2016
France €4 tickets, Vista growth, Korea cinema sizzles, Regal dividends, VR & IMC results, FSK trailer reviews, Inox investment, Cinépolis & Barco, AAM blog, Beiersdorf goes Christie, Lotte safety, Reading death suit, Regal picks Eco3d for seating, Rivoli roof bar, Vue Preston, Gold Cinema Santa Cruz, Hoyts returns to Christchurch and Northern Ireland Cinema Day. …
CJ Cinema Digest – Monday 22 August 2016
Jim Patterson RIP, CGV increases Blitz stake, Carnival buys Bombay Talkies, Spain BO up, German BO down, UK’s cheapest cinema tickets, Beth Figge joins QSC, SF Norway’s Supersalen PLF, German CineApp, popcorn by weight in India,smuggling watermelons into cinema, popcorn fire in Sydney, sex assault in Vue, Germany ‘self defence’ gun in cinema, French outdoor cinema cancelled over security, Wildwood grows, first new cinema in Congo in 25 years and stop-motion Lego marriage proposal in cinema….
CJ Cinema Digest – Wednesday 17 August 2016
Alibaba goes cinema, Vox goes Saudi, CGV charged, Brazil cinemas need banks, Alamo grows, NCM bonds, Profits@Dundrum, trailer trauma, Guzzo baby surrender, UFO sues cinemas, deaf man sues Celebration Cinemas, laser survey, Sunshine bomb hoax, Reel goes luxury at Palm, Vue facelift, Pathé and Gaumont documentary….
CJ Cinema Digest – Monday 15 August 2016
Helios to grow, pensioner Vue woes, Mumbai multiplexes overtaxed, Inox to grow, PVR scam files missing, Horsham multiplex plan ‘ill conceived’, Le Havre Sirius re-opens, cinematic marriage proposal….