By the end of 2024, the box office revenue from preview films in Russia fell to 4.3 billion rubles, a figure cited by Kommersant based on data from the Film Distributor Bulletin. The year highlighted a few standout titles whose pre-release earnings showed how a handful of major releases can still move the needle even as overall market momentum weakened. Deadpool and Wolverine contributed about 674 million rubles in pre-release earnings, Inside Out 2 brought in roughly 2.5 billion rubles, and Despicable Me 4 accounted for approximately 378 million rubles. Taken together, these figures illustrate a market where blockbuster entrants can spike revenue, but not enough to offset broader declines in the wide-ticket market.
Industry observers attribute the decline to several intertwined factors, including the absence of Barbie-scale premieres, a cooling trend in the American box office, and the suspension of certain pre-screen services. For context, Kommersant notes that total ticket sales in 2023 stood at 4.8 billion rubles, underscoring a year-to-year drop in the sector’s overall appeal to paying moviegoers. The combination of fewer mega-releases and shifting consumer habits helps explain why 2024 did not match the previous year’s performance, despite a few high-profile titles driving select weeks of strong attendance.
Earlier reporting indicated that a larger proportion of foreign films did not translate into higher income for Russian cinemas. In the first week of autumn, cinema takings were about 263 million rubles, compared with 260 million rubles in the same period in 2023, suggesting only a modest gain amid continuing changes in programming and consumer preference. These dynamics point to a market that remains sensitive to the mix of domestic and international titles, as well as the timing and scale of releases that attract audiences season after season.
Additionally, industry chatter has referenced pricing decisions tied to seasonal periods, including New Year pricing adjustments. As such pricing strategies evolve, they influence attendance patterns during peak holiday windows. Taken together, the available data underscore how exhibitors balance release scheduling, pricing, and the competitive landscape to stabilize revenue in a market that continues to adapt to changing consumer behavior and the ongoing presence of foreign film titles in Russian theatres.