Global Cinema Attendance Drops as Streaming Surges
As the global cinema industry grapples with a significant decline due to the rise of streaming services, Mexican cinemas show resilience, albeit with losses.
Historical Context
According to the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) in mid-2025, cinema attendance began to decrease after reaching a substantial plateau, still below pre-pandemic levels. Between 2023 and 2024, attendance dropped by 8.8%, with a 32% decline compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
A similar trend was observed in China, the world’s most significant market, which accounted for 21% of global ticket sales. The Chinese box office experienced a 22 percentage point interannual reduction.
The Mexican Cinema Landscape
In contrast, the impact on Mexico’s cinema market appears less severe. In 2025, Mexico represented 5.49% of the global cinema exhibition business.
Based on data from the National Chamber of the Cinematographic Industry (CANACINE) between January 1 and December 7, 2025, attendance in Mexican theaters decreased by 7.4 percentage points: from 202 million tickets in 2024 to 187 million tickets sold in 2025. This marks the second consecutive year of attendance decline, both in Mexico and globally.
However, the revenue impact was not as drastic due to mitigating measures, including ticket price increases. Revenue in Mexican commercial theaters dropped by 4 percentage points, with 13,633 million pesos generated in 2025 compared to 14,248 million pesos in 2024.
Growing Audience for Mexican Cinema
On a positive note, Mexican productions have gained traction in commercial theaters.
The chamber reported that box office income from Mexican theaters increased by 14.8% compared to the same period in the previous year, rising from 548 million pesos (mdp) to 636 mdp.
This growth can be attributed to the increased audience interest in domestic productions, which rose from 8.4 million viewers in 2024 to 9.2 million viewers in 2025, a more than nine percentage point increase.
As a result, Mexican cinema accounted for 4.9% of the commercial box office in the country.
Challenges Ahead
The cinema exhibition industry faces the challenge of preserving the collective cinematic experience amidst the growing availability of audiovisual content through streaming services.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current status of the cinema exhibition business worldwide and in Mexico?
Globally, cinema attendance has been declining due to the rise of streaming services. Mexico, however, has shown resilience with a less severe impact, though still experiencing losses.
- How has Mexican cinema fared amidst this trend?
Mexican cinema has gained audience interest, with a 14.8% increase in box office income and a more than nine percentage point rise in viewership for domestic productions. This accounts for 4.9% of the commercial box office in Mexico.
- What challenges does the cinema exhibition industry face?
The industry must maintain the collective cinematic experience while competing with the growing availability of audiovisual content through streaming services.
