The global entertainment market reached $96.8 billion in 2018 – a nine percent increase over 2017 – according to data released today by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

The 2018 global box office grew to $41.1 billion, while global home entertainment increased by 16 percent over 2017 levels to reach $55.7 billion.

The 2018 THEME Report, an analysis and survey of the theatrical and home entertainment market environment (THEME), provides analysis of the state of the industry and an audience demographic survey. This year’s expanded study includes new reporting on global 3D box office estimates, data on the volume of original series production for television and online video services, and detailed demographic data for home entertainment viewing in the United States.

The U.S./Canada box office increased by seven percent to $11.9 billion, a record high. Three-quarters (75%) of the U.S./Canada population, or 263 million people, went to the cinema at least once in 2018. The gender composition of the cinema audience was 51 percent female and 49 percent male.

On the global level, seven markets outside the U.S./Canada saw box office totals of $1 billion or more. The Asia Pacific box office totaled $16.7 billion, an increase of five percent compared to 2017. China was the primary growth driver, with a 12 percent increase in box office.

Other theatrical findings include:

• The total number of theatrical screens worldwide increased by seven percent, reaching nearly 190,000.
• The typical moviegoer in the U.S./Canada bought 5.0 tickets per year in 2018, up from 4.7 tickets in 2017.
• Per capita attendance was highest among the 12-17 and 18-24-year-old age groups (5.1), and among Latino (4.7) and Asian (4.5) audiences, with both ethnic groups increasing over 2017 levels.

Global home entertainment consumer spending increased by 16 percent over 2017 levels to reach $55.7 billion. The growth was driven by digital home entertainment, with U.S. digital spending increasing by 24 percent and international digital spending increasing by 34 percent. Since 2014, digital spending has increased 170 percent globally.

Other home entertainment findings include:

• Globally, the number of subscriptions to online video services reached 613 million, an increase of 27 percent in just one year. Subscriptions to online video services surpassed cable subscriptions for the first time in 2018.
• In 2018, overall spending on home entertainment in the U.S. increased to $23.3 billion, up 12 percent over 2017.
• Americans now spend 52 percent of their media time on a digital platform.

US digital sales grew by 24 percent, while international digital sales grew by 34 percent. At the same time, physical releases dropped in the US and internationally by 15 and 14 percent, respectively. The report lumps together digital sales, VOD, and paid subscription services.

When it comes to streaming video, the MPAA reports that subscriptions surpassed cable television for the first time, with 131.2 million new subscriptions added, rising to 613.3 million worldwide, a jump of 27 percent over 2017’s numbers. The report says that cable subscriptions dropped by 2 percent to 556 million.

But despite that growth in streaming video and the small decrease in cable subscriptions, cable subscriptions still get in the most money, increasing in 2018 by $6.2 billion to $118 billion. After cable subscriptions, satellite TV brings in the next highest amount of revenue, while streaming video comes in third. The report also notes that more Americans watch cable (80 percent) followed by streaming services (70 percent).

For the complete version of the report, click here.