The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the trade body representing the interests of cinema operators across 39 European territories, and Boxoffice Pro, the world’s leading trade publication covering the global theatrical exhibition industry, today published the second edition of the Giants of Exhibition: Europe listing, ranking the top 50 European cinema groups by screen count. A ceremony honouring the circuits will be held on June 20 in Barcelona during CineEurope, the biggest and longest-running convention dedicated to cinema operators in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
After the successful launch of the first edition in 2022, UNIC renewed its partnership with Boxoffice Pro for this second iteration of Giants of Exhibition: Europe, each group or company’s ranking being determined by its total screen count in Europe as of 31 December 2022.
Once again in the lead of this year’s ranking is ODEON Cinemas Group, the UK-based European subsidiary of AMC Theatres, with nearly 2,500 screens across the United Kingdom and Ireland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
The top four is rounded out by Cineworld (UK), Vue International (UK), and Pathé Cinémas (France).
Each of the top four circuits on this year’s list have a multi-national European presence of over 1,000 screens across the region.
Welcoming today’s announcement, UNIC President Phil Clapp said:
“On behalf of all UNIC members, I would like to congratulate each of the fifty companies featured in the second edition of Giants of Exhibition: Europe ranking, which celebrates the biggest cinema operators in Europe.
The Top 50 circuits represent almost 20,000 screens and over 2,600 cinemas across Europe. With headquarters based in 20 countries and operating in 38 territories, this ranking demonstrates the strength and diversity of the European cinema industry. Eleven groups are present in three or more countries, confirming their role as key regional or European players.”
“In the face of the remarkable rebound of the box office across Europe, we witness the extraordinary resilience and unwavering spirit of the cinema chains,” added Julien Marcel, CEO of The Boxoffice Company. “As we unveil the ranking of the 50 largest cinema chains in Europe, let us take a moment to salute the profound contribution of these theaters to our society. Beyond their economic significance, they embody the very essence of our cultural landscape and heritage. In celebrating their resurgence, we acknowledge the remarkable role played by movie theaters in shaping our collective journey, and we embrace the transformative power of cinema in our lives.”
This year’s Giants of Exhibition: Europe list includes circuits based in 20 different markets across the region. UK and France are the most represented markets on the list with seven circuits each, followed by Spain and Turkey (five), and Germany (four). Other territories featured in the list are Portugal and Ireland (both with two circuits), and Austria, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia and Ukraine (each with one circuit).
This year again, as a statement of solidarity with Ukrainian exhibitors as well as with the Ukrainian people, UNIC and Boxoffice Pro’s corporate parent, The Boxoffice Company, have jointly agreed not to include the names and screen counts of the Russian companies that would otherwise have featured in the top 50.
GIANTS OF EXHIBITION: EUROPE
Ranking the Top 50 Exhibition Circuits in Europe by Screen Count
1. Odeon Cinemas Group (United Kingdom)
Corporate Parent: AMC Theatres (United States)
Screens: 2,471 | Locations: 283
European Brands: Cinesa, Filmstaden, Finnkino, ODEON, UCI
European Markets: Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, U.K. & Ireland
2. Cineworld (United Kingdom)
Screens: 2,237 | Locations: 237
European Brands: Cinema City, Cineworld, Picturehouse
European Markets: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, U.K.
3. Vue International (United Kingdom)
Screens: 1,911 | Locations: 223
European Brands: Cinemaxx, MultiKino, The Space Cinema, Vue
European Markets: Denmark, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, U.K. & Ireland.
4. Pathé Cinémas (France)
Screens: 1,280 | Locations: 125
European Brands: Pathé
European Markets: Belgium, France, Netherlands, Switzerland
5. Paribu Cineverse (Turkey)
Corporate Parent: CJ CGV (South Korea)
Screens: 783 | Locations: 90
European Brands: Paribu Cineverse (previously Cinemaximum)
6. CGR Cinémas (France)
Screens: 705 | Locations: 74
European Brands: CGR Cinémas
7. Kinepolis (Netherlands)
Screens: 648 | Locations: 61
European Brands: Kinepolis
European Markets: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland
8. Russian Cinema Chain
9. UGC (France)
Screens: 595 | Locations: 58 European Brands: UGC
European Markets: Belgium, France
10. Cineplex (Germany)
Screens: 551 | Locations: 93 European Brands: Cineplex
11. Yelmo Cines (Spain)
Corporate Parent: Cinépolis (Mexico)
Screens: 519 | Locations: 51
European Brands: Yelmo Cines
12. Russian Cinema Chain
13. Cineplexx (Austria)
Screens: 425 | Locations: 62 European Brands: Cineplexx
European Markets: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
14. CineStar (Germany)
Corporate parent: Event Cinema (Australia)
Screens: 373 | Locations: 47
European Brands: CineStar
15. Helios (Poland)
Screens: 296 | Locations: 53
European Brands: Helios
16. Omniplex (Ireland)
Screens: 285 | Locations: 38
European Brands: Omniplex
European Markets: Ireland, U.K.
17. Ocine (Spain)
Screens: 268 | Locations: 29
European Brands: Ocine, Monciné
European Markets: Spain, France
18. Nordisk Film Cinemas (Denmark)
Screens: 261 | Locations: 46
European Brands: Nordisk Film Cinemas
European Markets: Denmark, Norway, Sweden
19. Russian Cinema Chain
20. Russian Cinema Chain
21. Svenska Bio (Sweden)
Screens: 230 | Locations: 54
European Brands: Svenska Bio, BioRex, Biografkompaniet
European Markets: Sweden, Finland, Denmark
22. Megarama (France)
Screens: 229 | Locations: 29
European Brands: Megarama
European Markets: France, Spain
23. National Amusements (United Kingdom)
Corporate Parent: National Amusements (United States)
Screens: 228 | Locations: 17
European Brands: Showcase Cinemas
24. Cinemas NOS (Portugal)
Screens: 214 | Locations: 30
European Brands: Cinemas NOS
25. Mk2 (France)
Screens: 202 | Locations: 22
European Brands: Mk2, CineSur
European Markets: France, Spain
26. CinemaPink (Turkey)
Screens: 182 | Locations: 26
European Brands: CinemaPink
27. Multiplex (Ukraine)
Screens: 176 | Locations: 30
European Brands: Multiplex
28. Russian Cinema Chain
29. Blitz CineStar (Croatia)
Screens: 167 | Locations: 27
European Brands: CineStar Cinemas, VCin
European Markets: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia
30. Russian Cinema Chain
31. Russian Cinema Chain
32. IMC Cinemas (Ireland)
Screens: 146 | Locations: 19
European Brands: IMC Cinemas
European Markets: Ireland, U.K.
33. Kinopolis (Germany)
Screens: 142 | Locations: 17
European Brands: Kinopolis
34. Odeon Multicines (Spain)
Screens: 133 | Locations: 13
European Brands: Odeon Multicines
35. Everyman Cinemas (United Kingdom)
Screens: 128 | Locations: 38
European Brands: Everyman Cinemas
36. Empire Cinemas (United Kingdom)
Screens: 126 | Locations: 14
European Brands: Empire Cinemas, Tivoli
37. Cineville (France)
Screens: 124 | Locations: 16
European Brands: Cineville
38. Union Cine Ciudad (Spain)
Screens: 113 | Locations: 12
European Brands: Union Cine Ciudad
39. CineStar (Czech Republic)
Screens: 99 | Locations: 13
European Brands: CineStar
40. Cinemarine (Turkey)
Screens: 98 | Locations: 10
European Brands: Cinemarine
European Markets: Turkey, Kosovo
41. Filmpalast (Germany)
Screens: 96 | Locations: 14
European Brands: Filmpalast
42. Cinemax (Slovakia)
Screens: 91 | Locations: 16
European Brands: Cinemax
European Markets: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania.
42. Light Cinemas (United Kingdom)
Screens: 91 | Locations: 12
European Brands: Light Cinemas
42. Avsar Sinema (Turkey)
Screens: 91 | Locations: 10
European Brands: Avsar Sinema
45. Prestige (Turkey)
Screens: 87 | Locations: 10
European Brands: Prestige
46. Artesiete (Spain)
Screens: 85 | Locations: 12
European Brands: Artesiete
46. Grand Ecran (France)
Screens: 85 | Locations: 11
European Brands: Grand Ecran
48. Giometti Cinema (Italy)
Screens: 84 | Locations: 13
European Brands: Giometti Cinema
49. Blue Cinema (Switzerland)
Screens: 83 | Locations: 7
European Brands: Blue Cinema
50. Apollo Cinema (Estonia)
Screens: 81 | Locations: 16
European Brands: Apollo Cinema
European Markets: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
50. Cineplace (Portugal)
Corporate Parent: Orient Cinema (Brazil)
Screens: 81 | Locations: 13
European Brands: Cineplace
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