Box Office Attendance Sees Lowest Numbers in 16 Years

According to the Hollywoodreporter.com, movie attendance has fallen to the lowest number in 16 years. The box office revenue for 2011 is estimated to be approximately $10.2 billion. This amount marks a 3.6% decrease over the past year. An estimated 1.28 billion people went to the movies in 2011 as compared to 1995 when movie attendance fell to 1.2 billion people. 2002 marked the highest movie attendance on record with an estimated 1.57 billion people.

In contrast, the foreign box office had a successful year, earning a record $13.53 billion in ticket sales.

Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible sequel, Ghost Protocol is expected to bring in the most revenue for the upcoming four day New Year's weekend. The film has held on to its number one spot at the box office, grossing over $94.6 million to date. Other holiday money makers include Twentieth Century Fox's Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Game of Shadows and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.