Sometime today, on a calendar year basis, domestic box office will pass $10 billion for the first time ever.
Through yesterday, more than $9.992 billion worth of tickets had been sold, which means (if my calculations are correct – and they are) the $10 billion mark should have been reached right about now. It’s a remarkable achievement for the industry and there are still nine more days left in the historically busy holiday movie-going period.
Box office is running nearly 9% ahead of last year at the same point and admissions are nearly 5% ahead.
Using the offical “industry year” calendar, which starts on the first weekday of each year (January 5, this year and running through Jan 4, 2010), box office stands at $9.777 billion (up 7.1%). and ought to break $10 billion over Christmas weekend.