19 Aug 2024 17:01

Box office sales of Russian movie theaters may reach 43 bln rubles in 2024

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Box office sales of Russian movie theaters could amount to 43 billion rubles in 2024, while 60 billion rubles are needed for "the industry's survival" and functioning, board member of the Russian Association of Theater Owners, Comscore General Director Roman Isayev said.

"We grossed 39 billion last year, and the consensus forecast of most experts is roughly 43 billion this year. It is still a big if, considering that major, key releases brought completely different numbers," Isayev said at a press conference on Monday.

Although movie theaters did better in May, June and July 2024 compared to 2023, "we still do not have the numbers the industry needs in any case," he said.

"Box office sales stood at 55.4 billion rubles in Russia in 2019, but now given steep inflation, the payroll budget, the cost of rental and spare parts, which are very hard to find, [...], or everything that keeps a movie theater running, the industry needs 60 billion gross to survive. But we are still very far from those numbers," Isayev said.