The hotly anticipated Downton Abbey movie has opened at cinemas and a rash of family-friendly films are about to his the screens in time for school holidays. At a time when a trip to the flicks faces stiff competition from streaming servcies led by Netflix, cinema bosses say you can't
Lights, camera, action: Auckland movie-nuts fork out the most nationwide for tickets
A worldwide survey found New Zealand had the 12th most expensive cinema tickets. Photo / 123RF
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Our cousins across the ditch forked out $21.55 per ticket, with New Zealand prices listed as the 12th most expensive out of 26 countries worldwide.
Japan had the world's most expensive tickets, sold at a whopping $26.10, while Mexico was the cheapest at just $5.30 per ticket.
Ticket prices varied depending on a number of factors, including the type seating, time of day and whether the film was screened in 2D or 3D.
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A comparison of tickets to Downton Abbey showed prices elsewhere in Auckland were usually closer to $20.
General tickets at most Reading Cinemas countrywide sold for $12 - while its Napier theatre had tickets from as cheap as $11.
New Zealand's most expensive tickets were found in Auckland, with Hoyts cinemas in Sylvia Park and Wairau Park both charging $20 for Downton Abbey.
Event Cinemas' The Embassy was charging $18.
Despite the increasing popularity of online streaming websites like Netflix and Neon, the film industry in New Zealand was still packing a punch.
Last year, the New Zealand Box Office recorded its second-highest intake ever, with more than $203 million.
Avengers: Infinity War led from the front, reeling in an impressive $10.3m, ranking it as the 10th biggest release in New Zealand of all time.
And cinemas are expected to do a roaring trade in movies timed for release during the upcoming school holidays; including Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and animated flicks Paw Patrol: Ready Race Rescue and Mosley.
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Motion Picture Distributors' Association of New Zealand chairman Peter Garner said a range of quality films helped bolster the box office's success.
"The industry continues to be in great shape and the year-to-date box office for 2019 is exactly equivalent to the same period in 2018," he said.
"Investment in new quality multiplexes continues by the two major chains, Event and Hoyts and product variety of genre films continues to satisfy a robust cinema-going public here who clearly enjoy the out-of-home movie-going experience."
Viewing plans for Netflix, which screens television shows and films, start from $11.99 a month, the same as Neon TV, while Neon TV and Movies costs $20 a month.
A spokesman for Netflix refused to release New Zealand subscriber numbers, but worldwide the service had 151 million members.
Many of their members preferred to watch films at home or on the go, he said, but just like all film-lovers, Netflix adored the cinemas.
"And for the last few years we've worked with distributors to put Netflix films into theatres," the spokesman said.
That includes last year's Roma release, which went into cinemas in more than 30 countries, including New Zealand.
"Netflix had been releasing about 30 films theatrically a year, most day-and-date and some pre-released in cinemas before they were on the service."
Carmen Switzer, general manager of entertainment New Zealand for Event Cinemas, acknowledged audiences were changing.
But watching content online could be highly distracting and an unfocused experience, she said.
"Each day the world becomes even faster, it has never been more important to escape to the cinema and indulge in the shared experience of movie storytelling.
"We invite the world to escape and immerse because movie-going is memorable; we leave a mark, and we make an impact."
Recently, the film industry had copped criticism for its unoriginality, remaking old films or creating sequels.
However, Herald entertainment reporter David Skipwith said most people were more than happy to pay their hard earned cash for the experience.
"I grew up with Star Wars so I've made a point of going to all of them if not the night, the day after they're released," he said.
"[Going to the cinema] is an outing and with franchise films like Avengers, or Quentin Tarantino's new movie, no one wants to be left behind."
Breakdown of price comparisons
Event Cinemas at Albany, Auckland
Adult: $19.50
Child: $13.50
Student: $17.00
Senior: $13.50
Event Cinemas at Queen Street, Auckland
Adult: $19.50
Child: $13.50
Student: $17.00
Senior: $13.50
Event Cinemas at St Lukes, Auckland
Adult: $19.00
Child: $13.50
Student: $17.00
Senior: $13.50
Event Cinemas at Westcity, Auckland
Adult: $11.00
Child: $11.00
Student: $11.00
Senior: $11.00
Event Cinemas at Westgate, Auckland
Adult: $15.00
Child: $12.00
Student: $13.00
Senior: $12.00
Event Cinemas at Whangarei
Adult: $16.50
Child: $12.00
Student: $13.50
Senior: $12.00
Event Cinemas at Tauranga Central
Adult: $17.50
Child: $12.00
Student: $15.50
Senior: $12.00
Event Cinemas at The Embassy, Wellington
Adult: $18.00
Child: $13.00
Student: $15.00
Senior: $14.00
Rialto Cinemas at Dunedin
Adult: $16.00
Senior: $10.00
Child: $10.00
Student: $13.00
Rialto Cinemas at Newmarket, Auckland
Adult: $18.00
Senior: $11.50
Child: $11.50
Student: $15.00
Hoyts at Wairau Park, Auckland
One ticket: $20.00
Hoyts at Sylvia Park, Auckland
One ticket: $20.00
Hoyts at Hibiscus Coast, Auckland
One ticket: $13.50
Hoyts at Riccarton, Christchurch
One ticket: $13.50
Hoyts at Metro, Hamilton
One ticket: $16.00
Reading Cinemas at LynnMall, Auckland
General ticket: $12.00
Titan ticket: $14.00
Premium ticket: $16.00
Reading Cinemas at Dunedin
General ticket: $12.00
Premium: $15.00
Reading Cinemas at Queenstown
Adult: $17.00
Student: $15.00
Senior: $13.00
Child: $13.00
Reading Cinemas at Porirua
General ticket: $12.00
Reading Cinemas at Napier
General ticket: $11.00
All tickets priced for Downton Abbey on Thursday, September 12
