The slump is not a myth, as this Hollywood Reporter/Reuters story explains: “Because ticket prices have increased slightly, estimated admissions for the fall present a bleak picture. Estimated ticket units were 208.1 million, down nearly 8% from the 223 million reported a year earlier and well shy of the record 268.3 million rung up in 2003. And with overall year-to-date sales running behind the year-ago period by nearly 7% — which translates to a deficit of around $550 million — it will be up to the films of the seven week year-end holiday period to close that gap.” I’ve said myself many times that admission totals are the bottom line, and here it is in black and white.
