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Star Wars awakens record audiences for theatre chain Cineplex

Fans dressed as Star Wars characters parade outside a movie theater showing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens".
Fans dressed as Star Wars characters parade outside a movie theater showing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying

TORONTO – The Force was with Cineplex last year as the latest installment in the “Star Wars” saga helped propel Canada’s dominant theatre chain to its best-ever annual and fourth-quarter financial results.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was in the company’s theatres for 14 days of the final three months of the year — and was Cineplex’s top film for 2015.

MORE: Disney postpones next Star Wars theatre release until Dec. 2017

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Box office ticket sales was $196.3 million in the final three months of 2015, up 13.8 per cent from a year earlier.

Cineplex’s total revenue from all sources including concession sales, advertising and newer business initiatives was $407.4 million, up 22.6 per cent.

Profit more than doubled to $76.8 million, up 139.4 per cent from $32.1 million.

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In the fourth quarter, Cineplex had record attendance of 20.4 million — 7.1 per cent higher than a year earlier.

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