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Boxoffice Pro Q1 2021

Boxoffice Pro is the official publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Boxoffice Pro is the official publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners.

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industry GIANTS OF EXHIBITION<br />

SPONSOR<br />

PROFILE<br />

Film Expo Group<br />

On behalf of the entire Film<br />

Expo Group family, we’d like to<br />

congratulate this year’s Giants of<br />

Exhibition. Like everyone else in<br />

this industry, Film Expo Group has<br />

weathered the challenges of the<br />

Covid-19 pandemic by innovating<br />

while maintaining our commitment<br />

as champions of the moviegoing<br />

experience. Despite not hosting<br />

any of our traditional conventions<br />

in person in 2020, we found it<br />

important to keep in touch with<br />

the exhibition and distribution<br />

communities by launching digital<br />

editions of CineEurope, ShowEast,<br />

and CineAsia. Their success would<br />

not have been possible without your<br />

continued support.<br />

In <strong>2021</strong> we are looking forward to<br />

seeing everyone once again in<br />

person. We hope that you will be<br />

able to join us in Barcelona, June<br />

21–24, for CineEurope. We will be<br />

back stateside, October 18–21 in<br />

Miami, for ShowEast. And last but<br />

not least, we are excited to finish the<br />

year in Bangkok, December 6–9, for<br />

CineAsia. We remain confident that<br />

together we will all be able to come<br />

back better and stronger.<br />

4<br />

CINEPLEX<br />

Location: Toronto, ON (Canada)<br />

Founded: 2003<br />

Screens: 1,657 ↘ -2%<br />

Locations: 161 ↘ -2%<br />

Canada’s leading exhibition circuit found<br />

itself in the midst of several transitions<br />

in what proved to be an eventful 2020. Its<br />

acquisition by U.K.-based Cineworld, first<br />

announced in December 2019, was expected<br />

to be finalized in the second quarter of the<br />

year. Instead, the circuit resorted to legal<br />

action once Cineworld abandoned its plans<br />

to acquire the chain in June.<br />

With the matter headed to court,<br />

Cineplex turned its focus to the reopening<br />

effort—effectively becoming the first major<br />

circuit in North America to reopen its doors.<br />

Cineplex welcomed moviegoers back to<br />

their screens in late June, followed by a<br />

progressive nationwide reopening over<br />

the rest of the summer. As with cinemas<br />

elsewhere, the chain had to contend with<br />

new rounds of localized closures amid a<br />

surge of cases throughout the year.<br />

Cineplex joined AMC and Cinemark<br />

in accepting Universal’s proposal to<br />

shorten the theatrical exclusivity window,<br />

signing on to the agreement in late<br />

November. The dynamic window gives the<br />

Canadian chain at least three weekends<br />

of exclusivity for any Universal or Focus<br />

Features title before it becomes available<br />

on home entertainment platforms.<br />

Strategically, the decision could help<br />

Cineplex further expand its own videoon-demand<br />

channel, the Cineplex Store.<br />

The circuit reported positive growth for<br />

its home entertainment division in 2020,<br />

reaching 1.8 million registered users by<br />

the end of Q3—a 41 percent increase over<br />

the previous year.<br />

By not relying solely on the studio<br />

release slate through its diversified<br />

entertainment offerings, Cineplex stands<br />

apart from other major North American<br />

circuits in the recovery effort, as vaccines<br />

begin to make their way across Canada.<br />

More than a cinema circuit, Cineplex<br />

has come to be known as an out-of-home<br />

entertainment destination for Canadians,<br />

which has helped launch Scene, one of<br />

the most successful loyalty programs in<br />

the country. Redemptions from its loyalty<br />

program already include discounts on<br />

digital rentals and concessions items, free<br />

standard and premium-format movie<br />

tickets, and vouchers eligible at the<br />

circuit’s entertainment centers, the Rec<br />

Room and Playdium.<br />

<strong>Q1</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />

27<br />

5:58 PM<br />

18-33_Giants-Of-Exhibition.indd 27 12/02/<strong>2021</strong> 12:26

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