While the global box office rose 12% to $33.5 billion in 2025, France bucked the trend with a 13.6% decline to 156.79 million admissions and an estimated $1.17 billion in revenue. Disney dominated the top spots with animated and blockbuster films, while local productions held a strong 37.7% market share. A late-year rebound offers hope for 2026 recovery.
In 2025, France's cinema market faced headwinds, with admissions falling 13.6% to 156.79 million from 2024, per the National Film Board (CNC) and Comscore. This equated to about $1.17 billion in box office revenue at an average ticket price of €7.45 ($8.75), marking the steepest year-on-year drop among major international markets despite global growth to $33.5 billion. France retained its position as Europe's largest moviegoing market, surpassing Germany's 85 million admissions, Italy's 67 million, and Spain's 65 million.
Hollywood led admissions, with Disney claiming the top three: 'Zootopia 2' (6.18 million), 'Lilo & Stitch' (5.10 million), and 'Avatar: Fire & Ash' (4.58 million). Other hits included 'F1: The Movie' (3.31 million) and 'Jurassic World: Renaissance' (2.97 million). The top French film in the top 10 was 'God Save the Tuche' (2.95 million), part of Pathé's comedy series—far below 2024's local top three, which drew 25 million combined.
Local films captured 37.7% of the market, Europe's highest share. Standouts: 'Once Upon My Mother' and 'Un ours dans le Jura' (both over 1.4 million), Isabelle Huppert's 'The Richest Woman in the World' (~900,000). Auteur films overperformed, including Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' and Oliver Laxe's 'Sirât.'
CNC president Gaëtan Bruel called 2025 'a mixed year for theatrical cinema, with a declining market due to a lack of unifying films... but with a sharp rebound at the end of the year,' driven by 'The Housemaid' (1.1 million in week one) and 'Le chant des forets' (360,000). Bruel is optimistic for 2026, citing Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' and Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day.'
