A ceremony honouring the circuits will take place on Tuesday 18 June in Barcelona during CineEurope, the biggest and longest-running convention dedicated to cinema operators in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
After two successful editions in 2022 and 2023, UNIC renewed its partnership with Boxoffice Pro for this third iteration of Giants of Exhibition: Europe, each group or company’s ranking being determined by its total screen count in Europe as of 31 December 2023.
Once again in the lead of this year’s ranking is ODEON Cinemas Group, the UK-based European subsidiary of AMC Theatres, with over 2,400 screens across the UK and Ireland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
The top four is rounded out by Cineworld Group (UK), Vue (UK), and Pathé Cinémas (France).
Each of the top four circuits on this year’s list have a multi-national European presence of over 1,200 screens across the region.
UNIC and Boxoffice Pro would also like to highlight the winner of the “Fastest Moving Giant Award”, Ireland’s Omniplex, which jumped from 265 screens in last year’s ranking to 342 this year, and the three “Breakthrough Giant Award” winners, given to circuits that have broken into the Top 50 ranking this year for the first time: Cines ACEC (Spain), Reel Cinemas (UK), and NOE Cinémas (France).
Welcoming today’s announcement, UNIC President Phil Clapp said:
“On behalf of all UNIC members, I would like to congratulate each company featured in this third edition of Giants of Exhibition: Europe ranking, celebrating the biggest cinema operators in Europe.
This year’s Top 50 again celebrates the diversity of the European exhibition community, representing over 19,200 screens and 2,600 venues. With headquarters based in 21 countries and operating in 38 European territories, this ranking demonstrates the strength of the European cinema industry. Eleven groups are present in three or more countries, confirming their role as key regional or European players.”
“I am thrilled to present the third edition of the Giants of Exhibition: Europe listing.” added Julien Marcel, CEO of The Boxoffice Company. “This ranking vividly celebrates the diversity and dynamism of the European cinema landscape. Each year, we witness remarkable movement and changes within our industry, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of cinema groups across Europe. I extend a special shoutout to both the newcomers and the fastest-moving groups in this edition, whose achievements highlight the continuous growth and evolution of our vibrant sector. Congratulations to all the ranked cinema groups for their contributions to the theatrical experience.”
This year’s Giants of Exhibition: Europe list includes circuits operating in 38 different markets across the region. The breakdown by country sees France as the territory with the highest number of Top 50 circuits operating (10), followed by the UK and Spain, with nine circuits. Six of the top 50 companies operate in Germany, and four in Turkey, Ireland and Italy. The other territories featured in the list are: Portugal, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Kosovo and Romania with three circuits each; Croatia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia with two circuits; followed by Austria, Estonia, Ukraine, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Albania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Latvia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Greece and Montenegro, with one circuit in each country.
UNIC and Boxoffice Pro’s corporate parent, The Boxoffice Company, have jointly agreed not to include the names and screen counts of the Russian companies that would otherwise have featured in the Top 50.
About The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC)
The Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) represents the interests of cinema trade associations and cinema operators covering 39 countries in Europe and neighbouring regions. More information at www.unic-cinemas.org
About Boxoffice Pro and The Boxoffice Company
The Boxoffice Company is the world’s #1 provider of media, technology, and data for the global film industry. The company operates a global network of media brands (AlloCine, AdoroCinema, SensaCine, Espinof, Filmstarts, MoviePilot, and Beyazperde) reaching over 74M movie fans across Europe and Latin America. The Boxoffice Company partners with leading search and discovery platforms, studios, and exhibitors of all sizes to help them connect directly with moviegoers and fans, using the latest innovations in ticketing, business intelligence, and digital marketing. Part of the Paris-based Webedia Group, The Boxoffice Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, Mexico, Brazil, France, the UK, Spain, Germany and Turkey.
In publication since 1920, Boxoffice Pro is the reference publication of theatrical exhibition. Serving as the official publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners, Boxoffice Pro includes expert analysis of industry trends, executive profiles, and exclusive financial forecasts in print and online. Following its 2018 merger with Film Journal International, Boxoffice Pro is the only monthly magazine exclusively focused on the interests of theatrical exhibition worldwide.
Contact
International Union of Cinemas (UNIC)
communications@unic-cinemas.org