IF speaks to Dendy Icon group CEO Sharon Strickland, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace general manager Alex Temesvari, and Palace Cinemas head of marketing Alex Moir about how they have navigated the past few months and what the road ahead looks like.
With the Sydney market emerging from lockdown, the national box office got a 72 per cent boost last weekend, despite the absence of major new releases.
For the first time in quite a while, last weekend saw major new releases enter the Australian theatrical market, in the form of Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel' and Aussie James Wan's horror 'Malignant'.
Since cinemas reopened around the country, there was one film in particular that exhibitors were banking on to lure audiences back to theatres: 'No Time To Die'.
'No Time To Die' has been in release in the Australian market for less than two weeks but has already achieved what only a handful of films have done since the pandemic begun - it's crossed the $20 million mark.
Leading the box office once again last weekend was Denis Villeneuve’s 'Dune', while another Timothée Chalamet-starrer, 'The French Dispatch', opened in fifth.
'Scream' may have ousted 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' from the top of the box office in North America, but here in Australia, Spidey continues to reign supreme.
It was déjà vu at the box office last weekend, with the top six titles from the previous weekend in the same position, and no new releases ranking in the top 10.