During these last winter holidays, Philippe Lacheau’s comedy raced in the lead. Regarding “Asterix”, profitability is still far away.
By Benoît Leroy for Le Point
© Vincent MICHEL / MAXPPP / PHOTOPQR/WEST FRANCE/MAXPPP
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Efinally! The cinema lives again. According to attendance figures for French cinemas in February, relayed by The Parisian, 18.2 million tickets were sold across France. An almost “return to normal”, even believes Éric Marti, director of comScore, a company specializing in box office analysis, with our colleagues. Attendance remains, however, below the figures for 2017, 2018 or 2019: – 21.3% according to the National Cinema Center (CNC). Compared to February 2022, this is 39.9% more sales. To achieve this result, French cinemas have been able to count on an armada of successful films: American works of course, but also – and above all – French.
Result, on the whole of the winter holidays which were spread out from February 4 to March 6, the big winner is… Philippe Lacheau. With at least 3.25 million admissions according to a count stopped on March 5, Alibi.com 2 does better than the first installment. Above all, admissions are surprisingly stable with around one million tickets sold each week. On the side of the blockbuster of the year, Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, the film gets off lightly with at least 4.3 million admissions. However, the break-even point is far from being reached. With a budget of 65 million euros, it required at least six million spectators.
French cinema can also be proud of the success of these two films. Indeed, since the release of Kaamelott: First Part in July 2021, no French film had managed to exceed the 2.6 million admissions mark.
As for American films, Avatar: The Way of Water still tops the box office. In theaters since December 14, it totaled 13.85 million admissions on March 5. However, the results of the first part should not be exceeded. In 2010, Avatar had accumulated 14.64 million tickets sold in France. Creed III is, for its part, on the right track. released on 1is last March, the film sold more than a million tickets… in five days.
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