After Cathay Cineplexes closed several cinemas locally, the original cinema spaces have gradually found new uses. Some venues have been repurposed for other uses, but many are still being operated by other cinema operators.
Analysts point out that the short-term impact on some mall owners from Cathay Cineplexes' exit has temporarily subsided. However, although brands like Golden Village and Shaw Theatres seem to be taking the opportunity to expand their footprint, the trend of shrinking cinema spaces may continue against the backdrop of changing consumption patterns and declining movie-watching demand, and repurposing these venues also faces certain challenges.
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Before the Lunar New Year, Golden Village opened a new cinema at Century Square, taking over the original Cathay Cineplexes space. Mall owner Frasers Centrepoint Trust also disclosed that the original Cathay Cineplexes at Causeway Point has been taken over by SAS Cineplex, with the two new tenants bringing the trust's portfolio occupancy rate back up from 98.1% to 99.9%.
In addition, the Cathay Cineplexes located at Jem and Downtown East have also been taken over by Shaw and Golden Village, respectively.
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The new Golden Village cinema at Century Square opened in February, taking over the original Cathay Cineplexes space. (Photo by Lin Ming Shun)
Some original Cathay Cineplexes spaces have permanently bid farewell to their cinema functions. The cinema at Parkway Parade has been repurposed for sports training and education, while the cinema at AMK Hub plans to be transformed into community public facilities, including a library.
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The original Cathay Cineplexes space on the seventh floor of Parkway Parade has been taken over by a sports training and education tenant. (Photo by Lin Ming Shun)
Behind this is a continuous decline in movie-watching demand. Data from the Singapore Department of Statistics shows that the number of moviegoers in local cinemas has dropped from about 18 million in 2019 to approximately 8.4 million in 2024.
Professor Cheng Tianfu, Dean of the Department of Real Estate at the National University of Singapore Business School, pointed out in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao that the cinema industry is facing ongoing pressure from digital entertainment platforms. With the popularity of streaming platforms like Netflix and Apple+, it has become increasingly difficult for traditional large-screen cinemas to attract audiences.
He said, &#34;The high investment costs of projection systems, coupled with changes in lifestyle and entertainment preferences, mean that cinemas are no longer the 'traffic anchors' they once were in shopping malls. Mall owners must find new ways to attract consumers.&#34;
Huang Xianyang, Head of Research for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Cushman &amp; Wakefield, stated in an interview that although cinemas are no longer as important as they used to be, they still serve as effective facilities for attracting foot traffic to shopping malls. However, with declining customer flow, the market landscape is changing; areas that once supported multiple cinemas may now only accommodate one, leading to increased competition and industry consolidation.
<h4>Further Reading</h4>
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Cheng Tianfu also believes that small operators will find it harder to survive in the current environment, and the industry may further consolidate into a few large players, but monopoly does not guarantee success. &#34;Even larger cinema brands must continuously enhance the experience to maintain an advantage in competition with home viewing.&#34;
He said that cinemas are adjusting their strategies. Some cinemas are transforming large cinema complexes into smaller multi-screen theaters and investing in high-spec projection systems like IMAX to enhance sound and picture quality, reinforcing their differentiation from home viewing
On the other hand, the high rents of prime location shopping malls have prompted some cinema brands to shift to secondary malls to control rental and operational costs; some operators have also raised ticket prices on weekends to make up for revenue shortfalls during weekdays.
Taking the newly opened cinema by Kwan Hung at Tampines Century Square as an example, in addition to mainstream blockbusters, the cinema also attracts foot traffic with alternative films and unique experiences, including K-pop concert films, interactive &#34;Reel Talks&#34; with actors, and family day events themed around movies.
<h3>Cinema Space Reuse and High Difficulty of Mall Renovation</h3>
Zhang Minzhang, Executive Director of Research and Consultancy at Savills, believes that the trend of closing cinemas or repurposing them for other uses within shopping malls will continue in the coming years. &#34;Mass-market cinemas are often located in earlier established malls; however, the old format is fading away, and new concepts are emerging, accelerated by the pandemic. The new concepts in the cinema industry focus more on specific niche markets and have smaller seating capacities.&#34;
He pointed out that if large cinema spaces close, the difficulty of &#34;re-employment&#34; is significant. Due to the typically high floors and sloped designs of cinemas, any renovation would test the creativity of the owners. However, upper-level rents in malls are usually lower, which may attract tenants that do not require prime locations.
Huang Xianyang believes that mall owners could consider introducing tenants that can inherently attract customers to &#34;specifically come,&#34; such as those in entertainment or education, to fill the spaces left by exiting cinemas.
Cheng Tianfu reminds that in the current environment, local malls' over-reliance on entertainment and dining strategies may need careful evaluation and repositioning to enhance competitiveness and attract repeat customers

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Against the backdrop of changing consumption patterns and declining movie-watching demand, after closing several cinemas, Guotai Cinemas' spaces have been taken over by other cinema operators or repurposed for other uses. Analysts point out that the trend of shrinking cinema spaces may continue, despite brands like Galaxy Cinemas and Shaw Cinemas expanding. Some former Guotai Cinemas spaces have been converted into sports training and community public facilities

Zaobao

Most of the space in Cathay Cinemas has been absorbed, analysts predict that the trend of cinema shrinkage is likely to continue | Lianhe Zaobao