For Belgian cinema operator Kinepolis, third-quarter admissions climbed 49.1% to 12.2 million as U.S. expansion and a strong summer release slate brought more moviegoers to its theaters.
Emagine Entertainment accounted for the larger share of the U.S. growth, the company said. The U.S. total also included Showcase Cinemas only from Sept. 11, when Kinepolis completed its purchase of 13 theaters and added 164 screens.
U.S. admissions reached 3.22 million in the quarter, compared with 1.04 million in the same period last year. Across the first nine months of 2026, Kinepolis counted 31.3 million admissions, a 39.4% increase from a year earlier.
Kinepolis said attendance and revenue increased at cinemas operating in both periods, with films including The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day drawing audiences. Currency movements involving the Canadian and U.S. dollars against the euro weighed on the figures.
Revenue per visitor rose as customers spent more and premium experiences gained traction, including IMAX and ScreenX, according to the company. Kinepolis said EBITDA, EBITDAL (EBITDA adjusted for rent) and net profit all expanded faster than revenue in both the quarter and year to date, citing cost control and continued spending on premium products.
Those investments also featured in the quarter’s operating developments. Kinepolis opened a 70mm IMAX auditorium in Brussels, where screenings of The Odyssey were sold out through early November, and gave existing ScreenX auditoriums Spider-Man themes at seven locations across Europe and North America.
After describing its first half as a record period, Kinepolis said third-quarter gains widened its year-over-year progress in attendance and financial performance. Kinepolis Group CEO Eddy Duquenne said the company remained on course for a record year, pointing to an expected strong year-end and releases including Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three.
The company is scheduled to publish its 2026 annual results on Feb. 25, 2027.
