AMC

Maybe it’s the leather seats or the free parking. But out of every movie theater in the U.S. and Canada, AMC Burbank 30 had the most lucrative box office in 2025.

The combined efforts of the three theater locations, less than a mile apart (AMC Burbank 16 and Town Centers 6 and 8), brought in the highest box office numbers, according to Comscore. The AMC in New York’s Lincoln Square came in second place. Overall, the theater chain holds seven of the top 10 highest-grossing box offices in the U.S. and Canada, with four locations in L.A., two in New York and one in Florida.

The L.A. AMC locations at The Grove, Century City and CityWalk ranked at numbers five, six and eight, respectively.

“AMC’s longstanding success in Los Angeles is driven by several factors, including the size of the market, the enthusiasm of the Hollywood community and local audiences for seeing films on the big screen, and AMC’s focus on delivering a high-quality moviegoing experience,” said a spokesperson for the theater chain in a statement to The Times.

“Across the region, AMC locations regularly offer a diverse film slate that spans major studio releases, independent titles, and AMC Artisan Films.”

AMC has had a presence in Southern California since 1969, when it opened its first West Coast location in La Habra. By the mid-1980s, the theater chain grew significantly, opening multiplexes in Burbank and Century City. There are now 36 locations in the greater Los Angeles market.

Daniel Loria, the senior vice president at the Box Office Company, a cinema data analytics firm, said Los Angeles and New York being the most profitable cities isn’t shocking. Many studios and theaters typically use the two largest metros to gauge which markets to expand to and how long a movie will be playing in theaters.

“This industry really relies on the power of those two cities for the entire world to function,” Loria said, referring to the film business.

“These are the capitals of cinema. You see this concentration within that top 10 because of the indexing performance they have, not only on a local level, but on a global level as well.”

The number of movies showing in larger cities also plays a key role in box office gross. Loria said that in some regions of the country, local theaters will only get three or four movies showing at a time. Whereas in bigger markets, there is more diversity in showings and more opportunities to go see a movie, as the theaters are usually bigger and have more screens. Beyond the number of screens, a film‘s visual format is also a major factor in profit and ticket pricing.

When seeing a movie in a premium format, like IMAX or Dolby Cinema 3D, at an AMC, an adult ticket can range between $25 and $30 on a weekend, whereas a standard format would cost around $18. Many movie theaters in Los Angeles have these high-quality screens, which can boost box office gross sales more than other theaters that do not offer a premium viewing experience.

Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends at Comscore, said major theater chains usually have more drawing power when their locations have high-quality screenings available.

“What’s striking is how premium formats are driving impressive box office [sales] even in an age of price sensitivity among consumers,” said Dergarabedian. “Savvy moviegoers understand that the upcharge is worth the investment, particularly with films that are epic in scope and are best viewed in the grandest format on offer at their local cinema.”

In recent years, movie membership passes have helped bring audiences into theaters more consistently . AMC’s A-list membership allows subscribers to see up to four movies a week, for the monthly price of $27.99. There are nearly 1 million A-listers.

“The greater Los Angeles area is also home to a highly engaged AMC Stubs A-List membership base that makes theatrical moviegoing a priority,” wrote an AMC spokesperson. “The connection between AMC, Hollywood, and Los Angeles moviegoers continues to benefit our studio partners, filmmakers, and audiences.”

The finale of Netflix’s blockbuster series “Stranger Things” gave movie theaters a much needed jolt, generating an estimated $20 to $25 million at the box office, according to multiple reports.

Matt and Ross Duffer’s supernatural thriller debuted simultaneously on the streaming platform and some 600 cinemas on New Year’s Eve and held encore showings all through New Year’s Day.

Owing to the cast’s contractual terms for residuals, theaters could not charge for tickets. Instead, fans reserved seats for performances directly from theaters, paying for mandatory food and beverage vouchers. AMC and Cinemark Theatres charged $20 for the concession vouchers while Regal Cinemas charged $11 — in homage to the show’s lead character, Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown.

AMC Theatres, the world’s largest theater chain, played the finale at 231 of its theaters across the U.S. — which accounted for one-third of all theaters that held screenings over the holiday.

The chain said that more than 753,000 viewers attended a performance at one of its cinemas over two days, bringing in more than $15 million.

Expectations for the theater showing was high.

“Our year ends on a high: Netflix’s Strangers Things series finale to show in many AMC theatres this week. Two days only New Year’s Eve and Jan 1.,” tweeted AMC’s CEO Adam Aron on Dec. 30. “Theatres are packed. Many sellouts but seats still available. How many Stranger Things tickets do you think AMC will sell?”

It was a rare win for the lagging domestic box office.

In 2025, revenue in the U.S. and Canada was expected to reach $8.87 billion, which was marginally better than 2024 and only 20% more than pre-pandemic levels, according to movie data firm Comscore.

With few exceptions, moviegoers have stayed home. As of Dec. 25., only an estimated 760 million tickets were sold, according to media and entertainment data firm EntTelligence, compared with 2024, during which total ticket sales exceeded 800 million.