Cineplex has reported a significant decline in its fourth-quarter profit and revenue, primarily attributed to lower theater attendance. For the quarter ending December 31, 2025, the Canadian exhibition company posted a profit of $369,000, a sharp decrease from $3.3 million in the same period the previous year. Revenue for the three months fell nearly 2 percent to $334.8 million, down from $340.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The drop in revenue coincided with a 1.8 percent decline in theater attendance, which totaled 10.1 million patrons compared to 11.1 million in the same period last year. Despite major Hollywood releases like Avatar: Fire And Ash and Zootopia 2 during the holiday season, Cineplex faced challenges due to a lackluster start in October.
In response, Cineplex turned to international films such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle and adjusted ticket prices for premium formats to enhance its overall box office performance for the quarter. During a conference call, Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob emphasized the importance of diversifying the film roster with alternative and international content, suggesting this strategy positions the company well for 2026.
Jacob highlighted a significant shift in the company’s content strategy, stating, “Prior to COVID, we used to do 2 percent to 2.5 percent international titles. Now we’re over 10 percent.” He pointed out that the Hindi-language film Dhurandhar ranked among Cineplex’s top five performing films in the latest quarter. Looking ahead, Jacob anticipates strong box office returns from Dhurandhar 2, set for release on March 19, 2026, coinciding with the Eid festival.
Cineplex also plans to showcase the two-part Hindi-language epic Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, which is scheduled for a November 2026 release during the Diwali festival. Additional international films on the horizon include the martial arts epic Blades of the Guardians and the Chinese crime-drama Scare Out.
Jacob further noted that data from Cineplex’s Scene loyalty program enables the company to target the right theaters and showtimes, effectively reaching diverse audiences across Canada. He remarked, “Six years ago, we’d never have placed some of these films. We put them in now and they do really well for us.”
Looking to the future, Jacob expressed optimism for the box office in 2026, attributing this to a stronger slate of Hollywood films compared to 2025. This forecast suggests a potential pause in theater closures across the Canadian circuit, which saw a slight reduction in venue numbers in the previous two years. He noted that industry projections indicate a box office increase of 8 percent to 15 percent in 2026, which, combined with the company’s international content and distribution efforts, should yield robust financial results.
In the latest quarter, Cineplex experienced an increase in box office revenue per patron, which rose to $13.87 from $13.26 in the corresponding period last year. Similarly, concession revenue per patron edged up to $9.92, compared to $9.41 a year earlier.
