Movie theater revenue in Germany 2002-2021

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to lockdowns in Germany throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021 to contain the spread of the virus. Entertainment venues across the country were closed, among them movie theaters. The figures speak for themselves, confirming the significant impact of the pandemic. In 2021, movie theater revenue in Germany amounted to 373.2 million euros, compared to over 1 billion euros in 2019.

A difficult year

The respite for moviegoers and movie theaters alike came throughout summer and autumn 2020. Drive-in movie theaters were allowed to open due to the concept being compatible with the government’s hygiene, social distancing and contact restriction measures. Traditional movie theaters were allowed to open, with distancing inside, distances between seats and mask wearing until reaching one’s seat. In 2020, German movie theaters recorded 38.1 admissions, compared to 105.4 million the year before. Based on the most recent figures, there are 1,723 movie theaters in Germany.

A challenging future

The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent movie theater closures have been a massive blow to establishments, as well as to the film industry itself, since restrictions across the world affected film production as well. Already battling competition from video streaming services, German movie theaters have a long way to go to achieve recovery. Thus far, the number of movie theater operating companies in Germany has remained stable.