After five consecutive years of more than $11 billion in revenue at the domestic box office, the exhibition market came to a violent halt in March 2020. The biggest crisis in the industry’s history wasn’t brought about by familiar threats like home entertainment or piracy; instead, it was a global pandemic, of a scale not seen in at least a century, that plunged exhibition into the sort of existential crisis it had managed to avoid for generations. A promising start to the year sputtered to an alarming $2.25 billion in ticket sales, an 80 percent year-over-year drop.
While there remains to be a full accounting of the long-term damage caused by the pandemic’s economic disruption, changes to the traditional theatrical exclusivity model have already been felt at circuits across the nation. Yet despite the myriad challenges that exhibition faced in 2020, the industry rallied to persevere. Concession stands opened at theaters that were otherwise closed nationwide, pop-up drive-ins helped keep moviegoing alive during the summer months, and gift card drives provided a small respite for cinemas waiting to reopen.
The reopening effort was fractured and presented its own challenges. After closing in March, major markets like New York City and Los Angeles never came back online, while other locations went through a series of openings and lockdowns with little to no warning for the business community. Those cinemas that could open were limited by a scarcity of new releases from major studios.
With the odds stacked against them, exhibitors have been strikingly resilient, despite the mounting woes of 2020. This year’s Giants of Exhibition ranking stands as a testament to the industry’s flexibility and resolve.
Rank | Company | City | State | Founded | Screens | Locations |
1 | AMC Entertainment | Leawood | KS | 1920 | 7,800 | 600 |
2 | Regal Cinemas | Knoxville | TN | 1989 | 6,989 | 527 |
3 | Cinemark USA | Plano | TX | 1984 | 4,517 | 331 |
4 | Cineplex Entertainment | Toronto | ON | 2003 | 1,657 | 161 |
5 | Marcus Theatres | Milwaukee | WI | 1935 | 1,097 | 89 |
6 | Harkins Theatres | Scottsdale | AZ | 1933 | 501 | 33 |
7 | B&B Theatres | Kansas City | MO | 1924 | 429 | 49 |
8 | Malco Theatres | Memphis | TN | 1915 | 363 | 35 |
9 | CMX Cinemas | Miami | FL | 2016 | 341 | 31 |
10 | Landmark Cinemas of Canada | Calgary | AL | 1965 | 334 | 46 |
11 | National Amusements (Showcase Cinemas) | Norwood | MA | 1936 | 321 | 24 |
12 | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | Austin | TX | 1997 | 317 | 41 |
13 | Studio Movie Grill | Dallas | TX | 2000 | 294 | 27 |
14 | Caribbean Cinemas | San Juan | PR | 1968 | 281 | 32 |
15 | Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas | Dallas | TX | 2011 | 276 | 28 |
16 | Southern Theatres | New Orleans | LA | 2003 | 266 | 18 |
17 | Georgia Theatre Company | Saint Simons Island | GA | 1992 | 263 | 25 |
17 | NCG (Neighborhood Cinemas Group) | Owosso | MI | 1983 | 263 | 27 |
19 | Premiere Cinema Corp. | Big Spring | TX | 1993 | 259 | 23 |
20 | Emagine Entertainment | Troy | MI | 1997 | 255 | 21 |
21 | Reading Cinemas USA | Culver City | CA | 2000 | 238 | 24 |
22 | Pacific Theatres/ArcLight Cinemas | Los Angeles | CA | 1993 | 234 | 17 |
23 | Regency Theatres | Agoura Hills | CA | 1996 | 206 | 28 |
24 | Landmark Theatres | West Hollywood | CA | 1974 | 201 | 40 |
25 | GQT Movies | Grand Rapids | MI | 2020 | 200 | 25 |
26 | UEC Theatres | Maple Grove | MN | 1993 | 191 | 22 |
27 | Galaxy Theatres | Sherman Oaks | CA | 1998 | 186 | 16 |
28 | Larry H. Miller Theatres (Megaplex Theatres) | Sandy | UT | 1999 | 176 | 15 |
29 | MJR Digital Cinemas | Bloomfield Hills | MI | 1980 | 164 | 10 |
30 | Marquee Cinemas | Beckley | WV | 1979 | 163 | 15 |
31 | Bow Tie Cinemas | Ridgefield | CT | 1900 | 156 | 20 |
32 | Cinema West | Petaluma | CA | 1984 | 154 | 14 |
32 | Cinema Entertainment Corp. | Waite Park | MN | 1964 | 154 | 19 |
34 | Coming Attractions Theatres | Ashland | OR | 1985 | 153 | 18 |
35 | Flagship Premium Cinemas | Cambridge | MA | 1995 | 149 | 19 |
36 | Celebration Cinema By Studio C | Grand Rapids | MI | 1944 | 145 | 11 |
37 | Epic Theatres | Deltona | FL | 2003 | 144 | 12 |
37 | Phoenix Theatres | Knoxville | TN | 2001 | 144 | 14 |
39 | Cinémas Guzzo | Terrebonne | QC | 2003 | 133 | 9 |
40 | Classic Cinemas | Downers Grove | IL | 1978 | 131 | 15 |
41 | R/C Theatres | Reisterstown | MD | 1932 | 119 | 13 |
42 | iPic Theaters | Boca Raton | FL | 2007 | 116 | 15 |
42 | Allen Theatres | Las Cruces | NM | 1912 | 116 | 17 |
44 | Santikos Entertainment | San Antonio | TX | 1948 | 115 | 9 |
45 | Xscape Theatres | New Albany | IN | 2013 | 108 | 8 |
46 | Mitchell Theatres | Elkhart | KS | 2005 | 107 | 15 |
47 | Southeast Cinema Entertainment | Charlotte | NC | 2003 | 104 | 9 |
48 | R.L. Fridley Theatres | Des Moines | IA | 1972 | 98 | 18 |
48 | Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres | Chicago | IL | 1909 | 98 | 7 |
50 | Picture Show Entertainment | Colorado Springs | CO | 2003 | 96 | 11 |
Watch a replay of our panel with representatives from four of the domestic market’s circuits below