Going to the movies has gotten slightly pricier.
Average ticket prices in North America rose to $9.38 in the second quarter of 2018, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. That number is a 22 cent uptick from 2018’s first quarter average of $9.16 and a 43 cent bump compared to the same period in 2017. Though movie tickets in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles usually top $10, the figures are collected from national ticket prices across the country.
The domestic box office is coming off a record quarter, topping $3.33 billion. For that, theater owners can thank the smash successes of a string of sequels leading to record April, May, and June months. “Avengers: Infinity War,” which had the best domestic opening of all time, was the first summer release to generate $2 billion worldwide. Meanwhile, “The Incredibles 2” became the biggest animated movie with $440 million in North America. Other top earners include “Deadpool 2” ($310 million), “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” ($265 million), and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” ($207 million).
The first quarter of 2018 saw a decline of 3%, though Marvel’s “Black Panther” is still the highest-grossing movie of the year with $699.9 million in North America. Total box office numbers are up 9.6% in 2018, while admissions for the first half of the year increased 5.22%.
