Mongolia’s movie theaters are on the rise, both in numbers and audience reach.

🎥 The Big Picture

As of April 2023, 6 cinema chains operated across 15 locations, with 69 screens and 9,740 seats. By the end of this year, the sector is expected to expand to 17 locations, 75 screens, and 10,503 seats, marking significant growth.

🦬 New Players, Bigger Footprint

Urgoo Cinema led the way with a new branch at Park Od Mall, which opened in late 2023. This brought its total to 7 locations, 27 screens, and 4,232 seats, accounting for around 43% of Mongolia’s total cinema seating. Prime Cineplex also made strides, expanding to Dragon Center in May 2023, bringing its total to 5 locations, 21 screens, and 2,008 seats. 

• 🤝 M&A: In another strategic move, Soyombo Cinema merged with Tengis Cinema in February, rebranding as Tengis-2, now boasting nine screens and 1,932 seats.

🍿 Local Films, Loyal Viewers

The increase in cinema locations reflects a growing appetite for films, particularly local productions. According to the Cinema Management Association's 2023 report, cinemas sold 2.7 million tickets, with 43.2% of them for Mongolian films.

• 🎞️ Local Hits: Among local hits, “Zura III” topped the box office with 302,000 viewers, followed by “Silent Path 2” with 146,000 and “Circle of Death” with 100,000. 
• 🎬 Foreign Hits: The animated film "Inside Out 2," which was a major hit internationally, also led in Mongolia with 171,000 viewers, followed by "Kung Fu Panda 4" with 166,000 and "Despicable Me 4" with 102,000.

Taken together… Despite the growth in the cinema sector, Mongolia still has only 19 cinema screens per 1 million people, which is 4.8 times fewer than France, where cinema culture originated 130 years ago, boasting 92.6 screens per million. This stark contrast highlights the limited access to cinemas in Mongolia. However, with an 8.7% increase in screens, a 7.8% rise in seats, and a 13.3% growth in locations between 2023 and 2024, the cinema market is clearly evolving to meet rising demand.