Greater than half of all ‘Avatar: The Means of Water’ tickets have been for 3D showings

As Disney and James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Means of Water” climbs its approach up the field workplace ladder — as of Monday, it was simply shy of changing into the third-highest grossing movie of all time — movie show analysts are recognizing an necessary pattern in ticket gross sales.

Whereas moviegoers have been gravitating in the direction of premium cinema experiences within the wake of the pandemic, “The Means of Water” has simply outpaced the competitors. Launched in mid-December, the film has drawn considerably extra patrons to higher-priced showings on its solution to greater than $2 billion globally. Solely this previous weekend did it hand over the no. 1 spot on the home weekend field workplace.

When folks go to the films they’ve a number of decisions for the way to watch a film. Movie codecs embody conventional 2D viewing, 3D exhibits and 70 millimeter motion pictures, stated Steve Buck of film information agency EntTelligence. Auditorium codecs are digital, usually known as normal, after which premium, which incorporates screens like IMAX, Dolby Cinema and ScreenX.

All through its run, “The Means of Water” has generated practically 30% of its home ticket gross sales from premium format showings, averaging $17.80 per ticket, based on information from EntTelligence. For comparability, all different motion pictures launched in 2022 — not together with “The Means of Water” — noticed lower than 14% of ticket gross sales from premium showings, averaging $15.76 a ticket.

Bolstering field workplace numbers for the movie is the push from Disney and Cameron for 3D showings. This format, which will be discovered at normal theaters and in premium auditoriums, additionally carries a better price ticket. Since its launch, the “Avatar” sequel has seen greater than 56% of its tickets offered for 3D showings. These tickets averaged $16.30 a bit, whereas conventional 2D tickets offered for round $12.12 every.

In 2022, 3D showings accounted for 7.7% of all ticket gross sales. Eradicating “The Means of Water,” these tickets had been solely 3.7% of complete gross sales.

The unique 2009 “Avatar,” which is the highest grossing movie of all time, additionally did properly with 3D and premium tickets. In line with Selection, 80% of its haul got here from these codecs and auditoriums.

“The very essence of the movie’s enchantment is inextricably linked to the way by which it’s seen by the viewers and maybe greater than another movie sequence in historical past has 3D baked into its cinematic DNA,” stated Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. 

To make sure, “The Means of Water” has not reached its historic field workplace simply due to surcharges for 3D and premium format screenings. Whereas some questioned the franchise’s cultural relevance after greater than a decade between movies, the sequel has lured in moviegoers throughout the demographic spectrum.

The movie has skewed towards male audiences between 18 and 34 years outdated, however “The Means of Water” has additionally introduced in a big variety of older moviegoers, who, up till just lately, had been reticent to return to cinemas.

“Once I noticed ‘Avatar,’ the brand new one, I needed to see that one in 3D,” stated Jorge Rodriguez, a 23-year-old movie faculty graduate dwelling in Miami. Rodriguez sees between two and 4 movies a month, hardly ever choosing premium showings until a film calls for it, as was the case for “The Means of Water.”

Whereas “The Means of Water” has generated vital curiosity for 3D screenings, field workplace analysts do not count on the format will expertise the identical wave of prominence as was seen in 2009 when the primary movie was launched. There was a small window within the wake of “Avatar’s” launch the place studios marketed 3D closely and audiences got here out in droves for these options. Nonetheless, that curiosity has waned within the final decade.

Premium codecs, however, are anticipated to proceed to attract moviegoers. Movie show operators are investing closely in upgrades to seating, projectors and sound techniques. Many are eradicating conventional digital projectors and putting in laser items, citing price financial savings over time and a greater image high quality for moviegoers.

One operator informed CNBC that conventional digital bulbs must be changed after round 2,000 hours and produces a lot warmth, that theaters need to pay extra to air-condition the rooms that these projectors are housed. Laser elements final for 20,000 hours, which means they’ll go years with out being changed. Whereas there’s a greater upfront price for theaters to put in these new projectors, it gives a crisper image and fewer upkeep over time.

Within the wake of the pandemic, moviegoers have change into much more discerning about which movies they’ll go away the home to see in theaters and the way they wish to view these movies. In enhancing the baseline for these experiences, cinema homeowners hope to lure customers again extra incessantly and persuade them to improve to premium screenings.

This may most just lately be seen from AMC, which on Monday introduced a brand new ticket pricing scale primarily based on seat places in its auditoriums. Dubbed Sightline, this new program permits clients to pay much less, or extra, for a film ticket primarily based on the place they select to sit down.

Avid moviegoer Rodriguez stated he’s very worth aware relating to shopping for tickets, usually solely selecting to pay for premium showings for giant blockbusters or horror movies.

“I like the comfortable seats, however principally I am going for the sound,” he stated. “I actually just like the sound in theaters versus the home.”