Movie Attendance Flat in 2007 Despite Blockbusters

by Joel Rose

January 1, 2008

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January 1, 2008

For the first time in history, four different films topped the $300 million mark at the box office domestically — Spider-Man 3, Shrek The Third, Transformers, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. But movie attendance was flat compared to 2006.

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Michele Norris.

And a little movie industry news here. Hollywood studios are starting the new year on an up note. Box office returns for the holiday season were better than they were a year ago. And that helped the movie industry set an all-time revenue record in 2007. But it does not mean more people were actually going to the cinema this year, as Joel Rose reports.

JOEL ROSE: For the first time in history, four different films made more than $300 million at the box office domestically. "Spiderman III," "Shrek the Third," "Transformers" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" starring Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush.

(Soundbite of movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End")

Mr. GEOFFREY RUSH (Actor): (As Captain Barbossa) The only way a pirate can make a profit these days is by betraying other pirates.

ROSE: Movie audiences surrendered record amounts of booty in 2007. Nearly $10 billion. But that had a lot to do with the four percent jump in ticket prices. Overall movie attendance was actually flat compared with 2006.

Mr. PAUL DERGARABEDIAN (President, Media By Numbers): It was a rollercoaster of a year at the box office.

ROSE: Paul Dergarabedian tracks box office results for Media By Numbers.

Mr. DERGARABEDIAN: We had an incredible summer, actually, with the box office of over $4 billion for that period. We had a record-breaking summer followed up by a fall season that was pretty, pretty tough. I mean, while it was loaded with some terrific films out, including "Eastern Promises," "No Country For Old Men," "Atonement," "Rendition," I mean, a lot of great film out there. These were not films that collectively added a lot of box office to the bottom line.

ROSE: Dergarabedian says it took a strong year-end performance by the films "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" to push box office totals for the year into record territory. The bottom line also got a boost from "I Am Legend." The sci-fi flick starring Will Smith brought in a remarkable $194 million in less than three weeks. Final figures for 2007 will be released Wednesday. For NPR News, I'm Joel Rose.

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