The average cost of a movie ticket rose to $8.33 in the second quarter, according to data released Tuesday by the National Association of Theater Owners. Blame “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
That’s a little under the $8.38 average cost during the second quarter of 2013, but up significantly from the $7.96 average ticket price in the first quarter. The movies that connected made the difference.
Also read: Make That a Large Popcorn, Actually – Moviegoers’ Costs Went Down in First Quarter
Disney’s Marvel superhero sequel “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” released in April, was the biggest second-quarter hit with $240 million in domestic grosses. It did nearly 40 percent of its business in 3D, IMAX 3D and Premium Large Format screenings, all of which bring premium ticket upcharges.
By contrast, the biggest movies at the box office in 2014’s first quarter, “The Lego Movie,” “Ride Along” and “Divergent,” did most of their business in 2D.
The average price of a movie ticket last year was $8.13 according to NATO, which is the main lobbying arm for exhibitors.