With last week only able to generate 43% of the same week in 2019, the quarter-to-date comparison sunk to 67% for the current year. This highlights the financial and strategic impact of the pre-Thanksgiving week for exhibitors. A steep decline of 6% in only one week leaves theatre owners wishing studios had given them a better lineup of movies for the holiday.
The rolling four-week run rate comparison took an even bigger hit, dropping to 59%, a 15% drop in a single week. For the first time in six weeks, the year-to-date comparison number failed to climb, holding pat at 36% through 47 weeks. With this weekend’s 54% comp to 2019, the exhibition will be hard-pressed to end up earning 70% this quarter compared with Q4 in 2019. As the calendar moves to December, all hope lies with the 12/17 release of SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, followed by a handful of releases opening on 12/22, the Wednesday before Christmas weekend. As the news networks might say on election night, the race (to 70%) is still too close to call.