Summer cinema sizzles with 1.27 million admissions

AUCKLAND, Today: Throughout the summer school holidays, New Zealand cinemas showcased the biggest and most captivating cultural moments of the season, delivering 1.27 million admissions from December 15 to January 28.

The star of the season was Wonka, driving the most admissions across the holidays. Since its release on December 14, Wonka has proven its multigenerational appeal with 319,000 admissions across New Zealand.

The film has also surpassed the global box office performance of the original 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Tim Burton’s 2005 film adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was the second biggest film over the summer with 168,000 admissions. Illumination Animation’s Migration accumulated 117,000 admissions across its school holiday stint.

Breakout success and modern romcom Anyone But You, starring Sydney Sweeney, secured 89,000 admissions during its school holiday run, resonating strongly with youth audiences with an impressive 51% of admissions from the P14-24 demographic.

“Over the summer we’ve witnessed an abundance of compelling titles featuring strong female characters.”

Tina Fey’s American musical comedy, Mean Girls, proved to be a hit amongst Kiwis, delivering 49,000 admissions and is poised to continue its successful box office run over the coming weeks.

Matt Tremain, Sales Director of Val Morgan New Zealand, commented on the summer results, noting that they were shaped by powerful titles centred around strong female characters. “Over the summer we’ve witnessed an abundance of compelling titles featuring strong female characters.”

The upcoming slate promises to give brands and audiences more exciting content and cultural moments to be part of, as the 2023-24 summer of cinema comes to a close.

Anticipated releases such as Dune Part Two, Kung Fu Panda 4, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga are set to captivate audiences in the next four months.

Looking further ahead, Despicable Me 4, Deadpool 3, Joker: Folie à Deux, Wicked Part 1, Moana 2, and Mufasa: The Lion King are all set to hit the silver screen.

“The upcoming releases from well-established and beloved film franchises such as Despicable Me 4 and Mufasa: The Lion King, coupled with the release of captivating original productions like Wicked Part 1, present a compelling chance for brands to align with some of the biggest moments in contemporary culture,” added Tremain.

The biggest releases of 2024

• Dune: Part Two: 29 February 
• Kung Fu Panda 4: 28 March
• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: 28 March
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: 23 May
• Inside Out 2: 13 June
• Despicable Me 4: 20 June
• Deadpool 3: 25 July
• Joker: Folie a Deux: 3 October
• Wicked Part 1: 28 November
• Moana 2: 28 November 
• Mufasa: The Lion King: 19 December

 Source: CineTAM 2024