Türkiye’s cinema audience number hits 20-year low: Box Office

ISTANBUL

For the past two decades, Türkiye’s cinema industry has seen significant shifts in audience numbers, experiencing a major downfall in attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a seasonal analysis of cinema attendance over the last 20 years in the country compiled by the Box Office Türkiye, in the 2019-2020 season, just before COVID-19 disrupted the industry, movie theaters welcomed approximately 31.6 million viewers during the fall and winter months.

In contrast, the same period in 2024-2025 recorded around 10.6 million admissions, marking a 20-year low for that time frame.

In addition to the disruptive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, various other factors, including economic downturns and the rise of streaming platforms, may have also contributed to this significant decline.

The graph also highlights a broader return to pre-2000s levels in audience numbers. The fall and early winter months, which used to be a strong period for cinemas, have also become particularly weak post-pandemic.

Unless an unexpected box office hit emerges in the spring or summer, the 2024-2025 season is projected to close with around 30 million total admissions — a far cry from the peak years.

As the industry navigates these challenges, the data suggests that Turkish cinemas are still struggling to recover their pre-pandemic momentum, especially in the 2017-2018 period, when the overall attendance number neared 70 million.