Family films fuelled the festive season, delivering 13.36 million admissions across Q4

Press Release

Jan 8

In Australia, over 13.36 million cinema admissions were delivered from October to December 2024 —a +13% increase on PY. This growth was fuelled by the success of Moana 2, Wicked, Gladiator II, Venom: The Last Dance and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
The first weekend of 2025 marked a strong start to the year, with 1.08 million admissions—an +8% increase on STLY.
Total 2025 admissions are forecasted to deliver +5% on PY, driven by a strong slate of content.

The Australian box office delivered a powerful finish to 2024, with over 13.36 million admissions recorded from October to December—up +13% on PY.

A strong lineup of youth titles and family films fuelled the festive season, driving growth of almost +20% across both the P18-39 and P25-54 demographics.

The standouts of Q4.

Since releasing on 28 November, Moana 2 has continued to make waves and smash records as the biggest movie of the summer.

The film has grossed $40.8 million at the box office and is the eighth highest grossing animation of all time. Over Q4, it delivered 2.42 million admissions and continues to attract strong audiences.

Wicked defied gravity with over 2.06 million admissions and almost $40 million at the box office. Globally, the film has broken the record of the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in history, overtaking Mamma Mia which was released in 2008.

Venom: The Last Dance and Gladiator II both drove strong box office and admissions results, while Bollywood film, Pushpa: The Rule –Part 2 set records with the biggest opening weekend ever for an Indian film, both globally and in Australia. It is now the fourth highest grossing Indian film of all time in Australia.

Boxing Day release, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, has had an impressive start to its run, delivering $15.7 million at the box office and 894,000 admissions in less than two weeks. It opened to a franchise high, delivering nearly double of the first film and is set to become the biggest film in the franchise.

A strong start to 2025

The first weekend of 2025 at the box office marked a strong start to the year, with 1.08 million admissions—an +8% increase on STLY, driven by family films.

Topping the weekend audience was Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with 230,000 admissions, followed by Paddington in Peru, which delivered 180,000 admissions and achieved the franchise’s biggest box office opening weekend result of $3 million—more than double the opening of the original Paddington from 2014.

Mufasa: The Lion King also delivered 163,000 admits across its third week in cinemas.

“The success of Q4 and last weekend’s box office results by Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Paddington in Peru, and Mufasa: The Lion King, has created solid momentum heading into the new year and will continue to attract strong audiences throughout the remainder of the school holidays,” said Guy Burbidge, Managing Director of Val Morgan Cinema.

Looking ahead, 2025 is set to deliver a slate that has never been bigger, driven by an extensive stockpile of franchise and original content from the writers' strikes, with a forecasted +5% increase in total admissions throughout the year.

Burbidge also noted that with the absence of major global sporting events throughout 2025, brands have the opportunity to leverage Cinema as the key channel to tap into cultural moments.

“2025 is set to have some big moments across key audiences like Family, Youth & NEOs with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy on Valentine’s Day, A Minecraft Movie in April, the final instalment of Mission Impossible 8 in May, the third film in the cult classic 28 Years Later in mid-June, and then F1 at the end of June.

“With Avatar 3 rounding out the year, it’s clear the slate promises to deliver a range of huge, bankable moments for brands to own” he added.

A glimpse into the H1 2025 slate:

Captain America: Brave New World – 13th February

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy – 13th February

Mickey 17 – 6th March

Snow White – 20th March

A Minecraft Movie – 3rd April

Thunderbolts* – 1st May

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – 22nd May

Lilo & Stitch – 22nd May

How to Train Your Dragon – 12th June

28 Years Later – 19th June