Hong Kong Christmas box office takings slump to 20-year low amid ‘unattractive’ film line-up, surge in travel demand

Industry chiefs say local box office takings reached HK$19.6 million from December 24 to 26, a drop of about 40 per cent from same period last year

‘The business of the film and cinema industries has been tough, and their operation has been very difficult, which is a worrying situation,’ groups add

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Movie-goers at a cinema in Causeway Bay. Film industry chiefs have vowed to look into the reasons behind this Christmas’ poor box office takings. Photo: Sun Yeung

Published: 12:32pm, 31 Dec 2023Updated: 8:32pm, 31 Dec 2023

Hongkongers turned away from the silver screen over the Christmas holiday amid an “unattractive” film line-up and a surge in travel demand, with industry leaders noting seasonal box office takings had fallen to a 20-year low.

The Hong Kong Theatres Association and Hong Kong Motion Picture Industry Association said box office takings were about HK$19.6 million (US$2.5 million) from December 24 to 26.

The figure was an about 40 per cent drop from HK$32.8 million recorded over the same period last year.

“The Christmas holiday is an important golden period for the cinema industry, and such a drastic drop reflects that the consumer market of the Hong Kong film industry has remained in the doldrums,” the industry groups said.

“The business of the film and cinema industries has been tough, and their operation has been very difficult, which is a worrying situation.”

Hong Kong Motion Picture Industry Association chairman Crucindo Hung (centre) has described the recent slowdown in takings as “the bleakest year of the cinema industry”. Photo: Edward Wong

Films on show included Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which topped the holiday chart with revenue of about HK$6.6 million, followed by Wonka at HK$3.47 million, and Disney’s Wish at HK$3.26 million.