In the United States, the combined theatrical and home/mobile entertainment market in 2021 was $36.8 billion, a 14 percent increase compared to 2020, but notably overtaking the 2019 figure of $36.1 billion. Streaming globally also continued to boom, with subscriptions in 2020 surpassing the one billion mark, and growing 14 percent in 2021 to reach 1.3 billion. These are some of the numbers you’ll find in the most recent edition of the annual survey from the Motion Picture Association.
The 2021 THEME Report, released this month, is a comprehensive analysis and survey of the theatrical and home/mobile entertainment market environment. It provides in-depth analysis of how the film, television, and streaming content industry performed in 2021, as well as an audience demographic survey. On the opening letter of the document, Charles H. Rivkin, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer notes that “I have a renewed sense of optimism, thanks to what I see in our 2021 Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment (THEME) Report” an optimism supported by the numbers shown on the remaining pages of the report, which can bbe downloaded, freely, from the organization’s website.
Rivkin adds that “the combined global theatrical and home/mobile entertainment market reached $99.7 billion, a growth of 24 percent since 2020, but more importantly, surpassing the prepandemic 2019 value. Add in pay TV, and the combined global theatrical and home entertainment market grew six percent from 2020 to $328.2 billion, matching 2019’s record high” and continues saying that “these figures underscore that our industry is swiftly recovering around the world. For example, the digital content streaming marketplace in 2021 accounted for 72 percent of the combined theatrical and home/mobile entertainment market, up from 46 percent in 2019.”
This recovery happens as the Motion Picture Association commemorates its 100th anniversary. In fact, the organization now known as the Motion Picture Association was formed in 1922 by motion picture studios, to protect and support the nascent film industry. Since that time, the MPA has served as the leading advocate of the film, television, and streaming industry around the world, advancing the business and art of storytelling, protecting the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and bringing entertainment and inspiration to audiences worldwide.
The 2021 Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment (THEME) Report reveals numbers for both global audiences and in the United States and represent crucial information for millions of content creators around the world. The data provided by the report allows for a better understanding of the market dynamics, how the pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives, generating new and unexpected challenges, the last couple of years, and how the industry is trending as we look towards the future.
The report clearly demonstrates that the industry is powerful and resilient. Charles H. Rivkin adds “I am proud to see that production and releases of new shows and movies continue to skyrocket. Last year alone, more than 940 films entered production (more than double the 2020 figure), almost 560 original scripted series were released to U.S. audiences (up 13% from 2020), and more than 1,800 total original series were released, including children’s programming, daytime dramas, and unscripted shows. This kind of pace of creativity is testament to how successful our industry’s health and safety protocols have been during the COVID-19 era.”
The global box office market was $21.3 billion in 2021, up 81 percent compared to 2020, due to theater re-openings following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, but remained well below pre-pandemic levels. Similarly, the U.S./Canada box office market was $4.5 billion in 2021, up 105 percent from 2020, although still down substantially compared to 2019. At the same time, the resounding success of Spider-Man: No Way Home and, more recently, The Batman, unmistakably show the value of big theatrical openings even during a pandemic.
Follow the link to download the .pdf document 2021 Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment (THEME) Report from Motion Picture Association to explore all the information included in the 67-page report, with images, graphics, and an explanation of the methodology used to create the report.