With 2012 a few days behind us, it is time to apply our 20/20 hindsight to the year in film.  And, it was a record-breaking year.  According to Box Office Mojo, Domestic Box Office was $10.8 billion last year, barely besting the 2009 record of $10.6 billion.   The total number of films released was up last year to 655, which is also a record. But these two results combined indicate that the year was not steller on a per picture basis.  Any given release averaged $16.5 million, which is below the average for the last ten years at $17.3 million.  This is a contrast to the 2009 record year, with 521 releases, where the average per release was $20.3 million.  Ticket sales was up from 2011 and 2010, and it remains strong. But, at 1,364.6 million, it remains below average for the last ten years, which is 1,413.6 million.  And, the 2.08 million per release is actually the lowest in the last ten years.

In 2012, it was Sony leading the studios, with $1.8 billion. This accounted for 16.6% market share.  Sony jumped from third place in 2011 and fifth in 2010, marking a strong year for the studio. Warner Bros. held strong in the second place spot, where it was in 2011.  Buena Vista (Disney), Universal and 20th Century Fox rounded out the top five.  Paramount fell precipitously, from first in 2011 to sixth last year.  And, Lionsgate was seventh, with Summit in eighth.  With the two studios combined (January 2012 the two merged), they would have ranked above 20th Century Fox at #5.