Cineworld revenues fall as industry targets boost from Avengers and Star Wars. World’s second-largest cinema chain reports a 13% drop in global box office income. Cineworld Group (CINE) has reported a fall in box office revenues so far this year as a slow start to 2019 leaves the global cinema industry banking on Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars to boost takings. British-based Cineworld, the world’s second-largest cinema chain, reported a 13% fall in global box office revenues in the year to 12 May. In the UK and Ireland market Cineworld’s box office revenues slumped 13.6% year on year. And in the US, the world’s biggest movie market, ticket revenue fell by 15%. Cineworld’s figures were in line with global box office trends. So far this year the overall UK and Ireland box office take is down 13% at £447m. The US is down 10% at $3.8bn (£2.94bn), according to Comscore. Cineworld said the performance was in line with expectations of a “soft” start to the year because of the timings of major releases in 2018. Last year the industry benefited from a slew of early hits including Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War as well as the carryover of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which were released in late 2017.
William Hill ad banned for inviting Tinder users out of ‘friend zone’. Advertising watchdog upholds complaints saying bookie’s invite to Tinder breached code. A William Hill (WMH) advert that invited users of dating app Tinder to bet their way out of the “friend zone” has been banned for linking gambling to sexual success. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which has upheld a string of complaints against gambling firms this year, said the message breached the code governing the promotion of gambling. The advert read: “Stuck in the friend zone? You won’t be for much longer if you use this Cheltenham free bet offer” and included a link to download the company’s smartphone app. Being “stuck in the friend zone” is a term used to describe a situation in which one person wants to start a relationship with someone who prefers to keep things platonic.
