Despite some negative media coverage that would indicate 3D is losing favor with filmgoers, worldwide box-office revenue from 3D screens more than doubled last year to $6.1 billion (19.3%), up from $2.5 bil. (8.6%) in 2009, according to an IHS Screen Digest Cinema Intelligence report.
An increasing number of 3D film releases and 3D screens, and fast-growing 3D acceptance overseas accounted for most of the increase. International territories accounted for 65% of the total ($3.9 bil.), up substantially from 54% in 2009 ($1.4 bil.).
The fastest-growing territory for 3D is Japan, second biggest overall with titles such as “Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Toy Story 3,” and the Japanese film “Umizaru 3: The Last Message.”
The percentage of 3D tickets sold in in North America dropped from 42.3% to 36.1% but is still the largest single 3D market with gross ticket sales of $2 bil.
And the U.S. remains by far the biggest supplier of 3D film releases, accounting for 90% of worldwide 3D box-office revenue, according to Charlotte Jones, senior analyst for cinema at IHS.
— By Scott Hettrick