The Motion Picture Association released its analysis of box office receipts for 2020, and the news was even worse than many feared. For the first time, online subscribers crossed 1 billion to hit 1.1 billion, a 26% spike year over year. In the U.S., there were 306.8 million subscriptions, an increase of 32%. All together, mobile and home entertainment brought in $68.8 billion last year, an increase of 23% over 2019.
The box office, meanwhile, dropped to $2.2 billion in the U.S., a drop of 80%. Globally, the B.O. brought in $12 billion, a decrease of 72%. For the first time, China surpassed North America, with $3 billion worth of receipts.
“The past year was challenging for the global economy, and for virtually every aspect of our daily lives: the staggering loss of life, the toll on our frontline workers, the devastating and widespread loss of jobs and businesses, and the almost complete shutdown of many industries,” MPA chairman-CEO Charles Rivkin said in his letter introducing the 60 page-plus report.
