Retail

Cheaper movie tickets for South Africans

Kirsten Minnaar • 9 July 2025

Nu Metro has partnered with some of South Africa’s largest companies to offer their clients discounted movie tickets and expand its footprint across the country.

At a recent media event, the cinema company outlined its vision for the future of the movie industry in South Africa and its plans to remain relevant.

One major strategy Nu Metro has implemented is partnering with Absa Rewards, Nedbank, Momentum, Santam, African Bank, Vodacom, and Clientèle.

These partnerships offer movie-goers discounts on their movie tickets and snacks, with most giving a 50% discount.

This means that for South Africans who take advantage of these deals, going to the movies is less expensive than it was in 2019, the company stated.

The company has also partnered with the trampoline business, Bounce, to create dynamic, inclusive, and safe play spaces for all ages.

New venues are on the horizon, and a dedicated cinema experience for younger audiences is launching in 2026.

For many South Africans, pricing is a key reason they have stopped going to the movies. Between the rising cost of living and salaries not keeping pace with inflation, many households have had to reduce their discretionary spending.

Partnerships have had a noticeable impact on Nu Metro’s business, which is currently trading at 80% of 2019 levels.

Currently, Nu Metro is South Africa’s second-largest cinema company, behind Ster-Kinekor, which operates 57 commercial cinema complexes in the country.

However, Nu Metro stated that it expects its market share to increase from 38% to 52%. This effort is being driven by opening new cinemas in Cavendish, Tyger Valley, Mimosa, and Riverside in 2025 and 2026.

Interestingly, Nu Metro is opening cinemas in locations which used to house Ster-Kinekor theatres. According to Nu Metro, this is simply a result of Ster-Kinekor’s leases coming to an end, and Nu Metro being selected over their competitor to fill the spot.

At the end of 2025, Nu Metro will have 20 cinemas and 172 screens in South Africa, with additional locations in Zambia and Mozambique.

Hard road to recovery

Overall, the movie industry has had a challenging few years, facing the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the writers’ strike in 2023.

Many South Africans have also started investing in streaming services like Netflix and Showmax, which offer affordable and flexible viewing experiences. This means that cinemas like Nu Metro and Ster-Kinekor have had an uphill battle to fill seats again.

The two cinema giants have implemented different strategies to do this. For example, Ster-Kinekor has started streaming classic movies like Back to the Future and Breakfast at Tiffany’s for only R50.

Nu Metro, on the other hand, has invested more into its unique movie experiences. This includes five different offerings.

The first, “XTREME”, features floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall Premium Large Format screens, including some of South Africa’s largest.

Viewers can enjoy 4K Ultra HD (UHD) digital projection and powerful Dolby Atmos sound at eight different cinemas across the country.

Moviegoers can also visit Nu Metro’s VIP cinema, where they can order meals from an à la carte menu designed by Chef David Molopyane.

This offering, which is catered to more “discerning” customers, also features fully reclining leather seats and a fully licensed bar.

Alternatively, viewers can visit one of Nu Metro’s six exclusive 4DX cinemas. Here, on-screen action is amplified in 4DX with advanced motion seats and ambient effects, including wind, water spray, air shots, fog, and lightning. Signature 4DX effects in-cinema also include rumbling, shaking and floating seat movements.

The company has also introduced a Kidz cinema experience. Tailored specifically for kids, this cinema has vibrant décor, a ball pit, colourful seats designed for young kids and low-level house lights.

Finally, the company is investing in its event offerings, regularly hosting talent visits by movie stars, competitions, exclusive promotions, pre-release screening events and in-cinema marketing activations.

The cinemas, including the Kidz cinema, can also be rented out for corporate events and birthdays. Unfortunately, much of the success of businesses like Nu Metro and Ster-Kinekor is not in their control.

This is because their business is mainly dependent on the output coming from Hollywood. When strong titles are being released, South Africans have demonstrated that they are still willing to go out and spend money at the movies.

In this regard, Nu Metro expressed optimism about 2025 and 2026, as audience-grabbing movies like Wicked: For Good, Shrek 5, and Avengers: Doomsday are scheduled for release.

However, while blockbusters may draw audiences in during the May to August peak season, these companies also need to sustain their business for the rest of the year.