In 2023, Spain’s movie industry saw a significant increase in revenue and ticket sales compared to previous years, though it still hasn’t reached the levels seen before the pandemic. The total box office income rose by 31% to €487.5 million (about $541.1 million), but this was still about 18.2% lower than the average earnings from 2015 to 2019, which were around €596 million ($661.6 million).
The number of movie tickets sold in Spain reached 74.9 million, marking a 26% increase. However, this figure is still 24% lower than the attendance before COVID-19. These statistics were provided by Comscore Movies Spain up to December 29, 2023.
David Rodríguez, the General Manager of Comscore Movies for Spain and Portugal, explained that 2023 was the third year in a row where the Spanish box office showed signs of recovery. However, he noted that Spain’s progress is not as strong as some other European countries like France, Germany, and especially the UK, although it’s similar to Italy’s recovery. He mentioned that Northern European economies are generally stronger and that COVID-19 restrictions lasted longer in Spain and Italy.
Rodríguez pointed out that several factors affected the Spanish box office in 2023. These include the ongoing war in Ukraine and Gaza, and decisions by Hollywood to delay major movie releases to 2024 and 2025. He anticipates that 2024 will still be a transitional year and expects a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels only by 2025.
Despite these challenges, the Spanish box office saw notable successes. Four movies, including “Barbie,” which earned €33.7 million ($374.1 million), surpassed the €20 million ($22.2 million) mark in Spain for the first time since 2019. The summer box office in Spain was particularly strong, credited in part to a film called “Barbenheimer.”
Spain’s 2023 Box Office: ’Barbenheimer’ Powers Total Revenues to 18% Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
https://t.co/7JeNhFFtQq— PopCineVerse (@PopCineVerse) December 29, 2023
Notably, the performance of a top Disney animated movie, “Elemental,” which made €12.8 million ($14.2 million) in Spain, was seen as usual, reflecting its global performance. This was attributed to the shortened theatrical window in Spain, with parents expecting to be able to watch the movie soon on Disney+.
In terms of local films, Spanish movies’ market share dropped from 22% in 2022 to 17% in 2023. Even though the revenue from local titles remained stable, the overall box office increased. Most of the top Spanish movies were either family films or comedies, such as “Championext,” “Mommies,” and “Ocho apellidos marroquís.” This contrasted with 2022, when Spanish hits covered a wider range of genres.
Spain’s 2023 Box Office: ’Barbenheimer’ Powers Total Revenues to 18% Below Pre-Pandemic Levels https://t.co/dKb0UaHJbV
— 140 Reviews (@OneFortyReviews) December 29, 2023
The report also listed the top 10 highest-grossing films in Spain for 2023, with “Barbie” from Warner Bros leading, followed by “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Avatar: The Sense of Water.” The list of top Spanish films was also provided, with “Championext” earning the most, followed by “Ocho apellidos marroquís” and “Summer Vacation.” Source
