The global box office is on course to reach an estimated $34.5 billion in 2023, according to film tech company Gower Street Analytics. This represents a 33% increase over 2022, but still falls short of pre-pandemic numbers. For comparison, 2019 saw global box office revenues of $42.3 billion. (Read about the biggest weekends in box office history.)
As cinemas struggle to recover from both the pandemic shut-downs and the advent of streaming, ticket prices have increased year over year to reach record highs. This year, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners, the average cost of a movie ticket in the U.S. is $10.53. Depending on the theater and location of the seat, some tickets can run as high as $28.
To determine the cost of a movie ticket the year you were born, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from the National Association of Theatre Owners to determine the cost of a movie ticket every year since 1948. For years in which there was no data, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index from the Bureau of Economic Analysis was used to estimate the cost. Prices were adjusted for inflation using the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator. The year’s top grossing movie is the film released during that year with the highest worldwide box office gross for its entire theatrical run, according to movie industry data site The Numbers.
Blockbuster films including “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” helped the box office rebound this summer, and were credited with bringing crowds back to the theaters in numbers not seen since before the pandemic. “Barbie,” which is set to be the highest-grossing movie of 2023, also made history as the highest-grossing movie ever directed by a woman. (Check out the other highest grossing movies directed by women.)
2022
> Avg. ticket price: $10.53
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.88
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Avatar: The Way of Water
2021
> Avg. ticket price: $10.17
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.35
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Spider-Man: No Way Home
2020
> Avg. ticket price: $9.18
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.73
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
2019
> Avg. ticket price: $9.16
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.84
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Avengers: Endgame
2018
> Avg. ticket price: $9.16
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.03
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Avengers: Infinity War
2017
> Avg. ticket price: $8.97
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.07
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi
2016
> Avg. ticket price: $8.65
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.90
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Captain America: Civil War
2015
> Avg. ticket price: $8.43
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.76
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens
2014
> Avg. ticket price: $8.17
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.44
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Transformers: Age of Extinction
2013
> Avg. ticket price: $8.13
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.55
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Frozen
2012
> Avg. ticket price: $7.96
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.48
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Avengers
2011
> Avg. ticket price: $7.93
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.66
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
2010
> Avg. ticket price: $7.89
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.94
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Toy Story 3
2009
> Avg. ticket price: $7.50
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.57
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Avatar
2008
> Avg. ticket price: $7.18
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.08
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Dark Knight
2007
> Avg. ticket price: $6.88
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.03
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
2006
> Avg. ticket price: $6.55
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.83
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
2005
> Avg. ticket price: $6.41
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.93
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2004
> Avg. ticket price: $6.21
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.94
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Shrek 2
2003
> Avg. ticket price: $6.03
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.91
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002
> Avg. ticket price: $5.80
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.75
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2001
> Avg. ticket price: $5.65
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.65
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
2000
> Avg. ticket price: $5.39
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.47
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Mission: Impossible 2
1999
> Avg. ticket price: $5.06
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.18
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace
1998
> Avg. ticket price: $4.69
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.70
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Armageddon
1997
> Avg. ticket price: $4.59
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.65
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Titanic
1996
> Avg. ticket price: $4.42
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.52
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Independence Day
1995
> Avg. ticket price: $4.35
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.63
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Die Hard: With a Vengeance
1994
> Avg. ticket price: $4.08
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.33
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Lion King
1993
> Avg. ticket price: $4.14
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.66
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Jurassic Park
1992
> Avg. ticket price: $4.15
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.95
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Aladdin
1991
> Avg. ticket price: $4.21
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.35
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1990
> Avg. ticket price: $4.22
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.76
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Ghost
1989
> Avg. ticket price: $3.99
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.73
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1988
> Avg. ticket price: $4.11
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.51
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Rain Man
1987
> Avg. ticket price: $3.91
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.41
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Fatal Attraction
1986
> Avg. ticket price: $3.71
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.24
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Top Gun
1985
> Avg. ticket price: $3.55
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.98
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Back to the Future
1984
> Avg. ticket price: $3.36
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.78
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1983
> Avg. ticket price: $3.15
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.56
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi
1982
> Avg. ticket price: $2.94
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.21
> Top-grossing movie of the year: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1981
> Avg. ticket price: $2.78
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.25
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Raiders of the Lost Ark
1980
> Avg. ticket price: $2.69
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.87
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
1979
> Avg. ticket price: $2.47
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.29
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Moonraker
1978
> Avg. ticket price: $2.34
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.85
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Grease
1977
> Avg. ticket price: $2.23
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.13
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Star Wars Ep. IV: A New Hope
1976
> Avg. ticket price: $2.13
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.32
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Rocky
1975
> Avg. ticket price: $2.03
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.41
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Jaws
1974
> Avg. ticket price: $1.89
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.59
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Towering Inferno
1973
> Avg. ticket price: $1.77
> Price adjusted for inflation: $12.06
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Exorcist
1972
> Avg. ticket price: $1.70
> Price adjusted for inflation: $12.30
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Godfather
1971
> Avg. ticket price: $1.65
> Price adjusted for inflation: $12.32
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Diamonds Are Forever
1970
> Avg. ticket price: $1.55
> Price adjusted for inflation: $12.08
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Love Story
1969
> Avg. ticket price: $1.41
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.62
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
1968
> Avg. ticket price: $1.31
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.38
> Top-grossing movie of the year: 2001: A Space Odyssey
1967
> Avg. ticket price: $1.22
> Price adjusted for inflation: $11.05
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Jungle Book
1966
> Avg. ticket price: $1.09
> Price adjusted for inflation: $10.17
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Bible
1965
> Avg. ticket price: $1.01
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.70
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Sound of Music
1964
> Avg. ticket price: $0.93
> Price adjusted for inflation: $9.07
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Goldfinger
1963
> Avg. ticket price: $0.86
> Price adjusted for inflation: $8.50
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Cleopatra
1962
> Avg. ticket price: $0.70
> Price adjusted for inflation: $7.01
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Lawrence of Arabia
1961
> Avg. ticket price: $0.69
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.98
> Top-grossing movie of the year: 101 Dalmatians
1960
> Avg. ticket price: $0.60
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.13
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Spartacus
1959
> Avg. ticket price: $0.51
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.30
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Ben-Hur
1958
> Avg. ticket price: $0.68
> Price adjusted for inflation: $7.12
> Top-grossing movie of the year: South Pacific
1957
> Avg. ticket price: $0.50
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.38
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1956
> Avg. ticket price: $0.50
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.56
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Ten Commandments
1955
> Avg. ticket price: $0.48
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.42
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Lady and the Tramp
1954
> Avg. ticket price: $0.49
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.51
> Top-grossing movie of the year: White Christmas
1953
> Avg. ticket price: $0.60
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.80
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Peter Pan
1952
> Avg. ticket price: $0.57
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.50
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Greatest Show on Earth
1951
> Avg. ticket price: $0.53
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.16
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Quo Vadis
1950
> Avg. ticket price: $0.50
> Price adjusted for inflation: $6.27
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Cinderella
1949
> Avg. ticket price: $0.46
> Price adjusted for inflation: $5.84
> Top-grossing movie of the year: Samson and Delilah
1948
> Avg. ticket price: $0.36
> Price adjusted for inflation: $4.52
> Top-grossing movie of the year: The Snake Pit
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