Skip to main content

2011 summer movie attendence is the worst since 1997

Shutterstock Box OfficeHow many movies did you go watch this summer? If box office numbers are to be believed, your answer is “not many”. This summer has seen the fewest number of movie goers, only 543 million, since the summer of 1997. Thanks to inflated 3D movie ticket prices overall money spent at the box office is up, but up just under one percent over last year. Typically the summer months accounts for 40 percent of total ticket sales, and this is the fourth year in a row of lower box office numbers.

Even with several big movies this summer theaters had a hard time getting people into the seats. The final Harry Potter movie was tops for the summer, followed surprisingly by the second Hangover movie, and then Transformers. There have also been some big budget movies that did not produce as well as hoped. Cowboys and Aliens featured Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and the newly popular Olivia Wilde, but still did not meet expectations.

Recommended Videos

Even with interest in 3D lagging in homes, 3D seems to be keeping Hollywood afloat. This year there have been 18 3D movies released, compared to only seven last summer. It seems as though people are more willing to wear glasses in the theater with strangers verses in the comfort of their own home. The economy is blamed for the continued decline of ticket sales as people are trying to save money, but people are willing to pay a premium on top of already expensive movie tickets for the 3D experience.

With the next Batman movie, the refreshed version of Spider-man, and the Avengers all coming out next year we are predicting 2012 will snap the four year streak.

[Image courtesy of Melissa Madia/Shutterstock]

Mike Dunn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mike graduated from University of Arizona with a degree in poetry, and made his big break by writing love sonnets to the…
Kevin Feige talks MCU’s future with Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers: Secret Wars
Kevin Feige sits at a podium in front of a mic.

The MCU is heading into the future with a new class of superheroes. One of the most important factions is the Fantastic Four, who are set to make their MCU debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. At Disney's APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed that filming on First Steps is nearly complete. After the quartet's arrival, Feige expects the supergroup to play an important role in the MCU, especially within the Avengers movies.
“Finally, [we’re] bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU,” Feige said (via Deadline). “They wrap next week, the movie comes out next summer, and then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps kicks off the MCU's Phase Six and stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Directed by Matt Shakman, First Steps opens in theaters on July 25, 2025.

Read more
Watch The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday season 3: release date, trailer, and more
A group of celebrities and culinary professionals stand and sit.

The holiday season is about to heat up in the kitchen thanks to The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday. This marks the third iteration of the holiday special, as five new celebrities will put their baking skills to the test inside the ionic tent. This year's contestants are battling for pride and, in doing so, will raise money for charity.

Like The Great British Bake Off, The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday season 3 will test the contestants' culinary skills, creativity, and originality. The celebrities compete in three distinct holiday-themed challenges: signature, technical, and showstopper. Previous winners include actress D'Arcy Carden and comedian Phoebe Robinson. Who will be crowned the star baker this year?
The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday season 3: release date and streaming information

Read more
Daniel Craig and Luca Guadagnino might just make a Sgt. Rock movie for DC Studios
Daniel Craig stands on the red carpet and poses.

James Bond is poised to enter the DC Universe. According to Deadline, Daniel Craig is circling the lead role in the DC Studios movie Sgt. Rock for director Luca Guadagnino.

Craig and Guadagnino have not signed deals with DC Studios as Sgt. Rock remains in the early stages of development. It's a reunion for Craig and Guadagnino, who collaborated on A24's Queer, which opens later this year. Challengers and Queer scribe Justin Kuritzkes is writing the Sgt. Rock screenplay.

Read more