[Movies] Movie Ticket Prices Hit All Time High In 2011

Posted by Joseph Lee on 02.10.2012

It's getting expensive...

Movie ticket prices in the United States hit an all-time high in 2011, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. The price of admission rose from $7.89 in 2010 to $7.93 in 2011.

The average actually dropped slightly in the fourth quarter to $7.83, believed to reflecet a slower pace of business (especially for 3D movies).

The average cost of a movie ticket has increased every year since 1992, when it only cost $4.15. It's been above seven dollars since 2008.

It corresponds with the changes in Hollywood, such as expensive blockbuster tentpole movies. Marketing expenses for such films often reach as high as $70 million worldwide for advertising and distribution. Ticket prices are also a result of the cost of building new multiplex theaters and switching to digital projection and sound.

3D movies also led to higher prices, as most theaters have a surcharge of $3 per ticket to see a 3D film. There were more 3D films than ever in 2011, but the average earnings were down from 2010.