EMBARGO 13/10/06 - 5.45 pm
From July through to September, 5.8 million film fans opted for the Kinepolis Group. By the end of September 2006, 17.6 million individual film tickets had been sold, corresponding to an increase of 10% on the same period in 2005 (16.0 million).
Despite the disappointing results during the heat wave in July, robust growth of 8.5% was achieved in the third quarter of this year, above all thanks to the momentum provided by international blockbusters such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Cars and Over the Hedge, but also due to local success stories such as K3 and het Ijsprinsesje (Flanders), Nos Jours Heureux (France), Alatriste (Spain) and Dublerzy (Stand-in).
As announced earlier, the Kinepolis Group visitor figures also increased during the first half of the year. This result was attributable first and foremost to hits like Ice Age 2, The Da Vinci Code and Les Bronzés 3, in conjunction with favourable weather conditions and the holiday periods.
When considering the last 9 months as a whole, it is clear to see that there has been marked growth in ticket sales for the Kinepolis Group: the absolute visitor figure for this period (17.6 mil.) was up 10% vis-à-vis to last year (16.0 mil.); on a comparable basis the increase corresponds to a percentage of 8%.
As at 30/06/06, ticket sales activities accounted for 62% of the total income of the Kinepolis Group.
Focus on local talents during the third quarter
Kinepolis Bruges (Belgium, opened in July 2006), the most recent Kinepolis complex, got off to an outstanding start and opened its doors to just under 170,000 cinema-goers in the third quarter of this year, exceeding all expectations. On the local film scene, the biggest hits in Flanders were K3 and het Ijsprinsesje. Within the Cinémanie segment (schedule of directors' own films), United 93 scored well. Lastly, the rainy weather in August also helped boost cinema figures in both Belgium and northern France (Kinepolis Lomme).
The viewing public in France and the French-speaking regions of Belgium also turned out in their masses to watch Les Bronzés 3 and Camping (first half of the year), enjoying a further, generous selection of French-language hit movies in the third quarter of the year, such as La Maison du Bonheur, Nos Jours Heureux and Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas.
Kinepolis Nancy (France, opened in September 2005), recorded further growth in its market share over the last quarter, thanks in part to a host of promotional activities and premieres to which well-known actors were invited.
The heroic epic Alatriste was the biggest hit on the Spanish film market in the third quarter of the year.
Kinepolis Granada (Spain, inaugurated in June 2004) recorded major growth in visitor figures (+62%), thanks to ongoing increases in market share and the drive-in cinema set up in Granada for the summer months.
Kinepolis Poznan did superbly during the third quarter of 2006. The Polish productions Dublerzy (Stand-in) and Samotnosc w Sieci ( Loneliness on the Web) were top of the class.
Forecast
Forecasts remain positive for the last quarter. Expectations are high for some individual films, such as Casino Royale, Flushed Away, Happy Feet, Eragon, Arthur & The Minimoys, Windkracht 10 (Flanders), Ne Le Dis à Personne (France), Cándida (Spain) and Karol (Poland).
The first stone of the planned cinema complex in Ostend was unveiled on 27 September. Kinepolis will be starting the building work soon and is hopeful that the complex in Ostend will be ready for inauguration in July of 2007. Kinepolis Ostend will be the 11th complex owned by the Kinepolis Group in Belgium and the 23rd in Europe as a whole.
