Fewer 3D film releases drove down the cost of going to the movies during the mid-summer and early fall, according to new data by the National Association of Theatre Owners.
The average ticket price during the three-month span ending in September topped out at $7.84. That was a 6.9 percent drop from the average of $8.38 during the previous quarter, when an onslaught of 3D and IMAX releases like “Iron Man 3” and “Star Trek: Into Darkness” drove ticket prices to record highs.
Also read: Movie Ticket Prices Hit Record Highs Thanks to Popularity of 3D Films
Many of the most successful films of the past three months, such as “The Conjuring” and “We’re the Millers,” were not released in 3D and subsequently do not carry steep surcharges.
Year to date, the average ticket price stands at $8.05. That’s down slightly from the previous quarter, but that number should inch upwards with the success of 3D films like “Gravity” and upcoming releases in the format like “Thor: The Dark World” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”