As cinema audiences jumped in a time machine over the weekend and made the journey from Middle-earth to 19th century Paris we grabbed a tub of popcorn and recapped on what has been a blockbuster year for the silver screen.
Fresh off last weeks Oscar buzz and last nights big Golden Globes wins, 2013 already looks poised to be an epic year for Irish film goers. Ahead of its UK and Ireland release over the weekend and last nights 3 x Golden Globe wins, Tom Hooper’s big screen adaption of Les Misérables has already racked up an enviable list of nominations (incl. 8 x Oscars, 9 x BAFTAs & 4 x Golden Globes), in addition to an estimated €150m ($200m) globally at the box office and €2.8m (£2.3m) on opening day alone in the UK last Friday.
Traditionally Oscar season always helps drive ticket sales at movie theatres across the country, but with four of the frontrunners for the Best Picture nod (Lincoln, Les Miserables, Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty) still to be released this month 2013 is off to a good start.
It’s also set to be the year of blockbuster prequels, sequels and threequels with Iron Man (April) The Hangover (May), The Fast and the Furious (May), Star Trek (May), Superman (June), The Wolverine (July), Monsters Inc (July), Thor (Oct), The Hunger Games (Nov) and The Hobbit (Dec) all making their anticipated returns to the big screen.
Top 10 box office takings were up over 10% (€3.2m) in Ireland year-on-year to €34.2m for 2012, largely due to an incredible performance by the Caped Crusader and Bond. 007 not only scored big at the Irish box office (with a €1.2m opening weekend), he also acquired a new taste palate for lager when he finally swapped his vodka martini for something a bit more manly, a bottle of Heineken.
While we bid a FANGtastic adieu to box office favourite Twilight in 2012, we also said a BIG hello to the return of IMAX in Ireland, with the opening of Cineworld IMAX Dublin in December. With crystal-clear digital projection, cutting-edge sound technology, and a curved screen spanning from floor to ceiling and wall to wall the IMAX brings audiences even closer to advertising brands, as well as their Hollywood idols. With proposed extension plans across the island the next generation in cinema has most definitely arrived as consumer experience continues to drive media consumption habits.
