Admissions to French cinemas plummeted by 35.5% in April 2024 compared to the same month the year before, according to figures from the CNC. Ticket sales year on year from January through April were down 17% compared to the same period in 2023.
Universal’s Kung Fu Panda 4 was the top film of the month, followed by Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, UGC Distribution’s local family franchise film Ducobu Passe au Vert!, Sony’s Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire, and French comedy drama Meet the Leroys, released by Apollo Films.
The dip is not unexpected, owing to a lack of major Hollywood releases in the wake of the 2023 strikes, but will certainly put a dent in the country’s annual figures. April 2023 was the first time admissions exceeded pre-pandemic levels in France, hitting 19.1 million, up 2.7% from the 2017-2019 pre-pandemic average, driven largely by Universal Pictures’ release of Super Mario Bros. and Pathe’s The Three Musketeers.
However, things are looking up for the month ahead. Pan Distribution’s upbeat comedy A Little Something Extra opened on May 1 and is the first feature from well-known French actor and comedian Artus. It has shattered records as one of the best opening days for a French film in history and the best since the pandemic began in 2020. It sold 280,000 tickets, even more than colossal 2011 hit Intouchables which opened to 191.342 at the time.
Artus stars in the film with popular French star Clovis Cornillac and Alice Belaidi. The story follows a father-son duo fleeing the police who are changed forever after taking refuge at a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. The film is produced by Thierry Wong and Pierre Forette of Cine Nomine and Other Angle is handling international sales.
May releases that could add some much-need box office boosting include Disney’s Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes. Paramount’s If , and Cannes-premiering titles such as Warner Bros’ Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Diaphana’s A Second Chance and Ad Vitam’s Marcello Mio.
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